Dragonfall
by Storylover Vodhr- Dux Ducis
Summary: Ash never really noticed why he never had any baby pictures, or why his mom never talked about his dad. He never questioned why he could understand pokemon so well, either. So, when he wakes up one day, no longer human, he finds himself having to ask some uncomfortable questions.
1. Fatal mistakes

**A/N**

**Well, Here is the Altoshipping story I always said I'd make. I've had this story planned out for a while, but, if I've overlooked something please tell me/throw a brick at my head.**

**Enjoy!**

**I Updated this sucker! If you're reading this on the 26th of May, 2015, I apologize for the next couple chapters, they aren't edited yet. XD**

* * *

The young Dragoness silently glanced around the corner, forcing herself to take a deep breath as she scanned the street for any threats. But, after a moment, she sighed, satisfied with its safety, and flew into the empty street.

The situation was clearly getting out of hand. She took this moment to catch her breath, but it was a pointless endeavor. She didn't have the time, nor the patience to wait that long. She needed to get out of the city, now. Once she managed to get to safety, trivial things such as comfort could take priority.

But regardless of energy, she needed to keep moving. Her pursuers wouldn't let her stay in a single place for long. Deep breaths. She needed to get a clear mind, if only to keep from making stupid mistakes. The Latias paused for a moment, and quickly made a list of priorities.

First, Hold on until her sister could find her. That was the big one. If, no, _when_ she got out of this, her sister would figure out a better way to keep them safe. None of this wandering around and hoping no one sees us crap.

Second, find something to eat. She'd been neglecting that for the past day, and the two of them would need it.

Third, Find out who the hell was the mole. She had the God's favor in hiding, and yet, they still found her.

The Latias scowled at the thought, before shaking her head. No, she didn't need to doubt her friends like that. At least, not yet. It was simply possible that someone got very, very lucky. Not them, obviously, but luck had never once had been in their favor. She couldn't see why she would expect it now.

She then took a moment to glance down to the small, precious cloth bundle she held in her left arm. Scratch that, Luck had favored them once. But that one time was all they needed. She smiled lightly, and nudged the small cloth with her nose, her spirit lifting at the small squeak she got in return.

When her sister found out she had missed out on his hatching, she was going to be furious.

But, it happened. And now, she was a mother. It was still an alien concept, even after nearly seven whole months, but she figured that, once she got some actual parenting in, she's get used to it. But, before she could work on that thought, she'd have to get out the city.

She took one last deep breath and steeled herself, and lightly squeezed the small bundle in her arms. With him in her arms, she needed no further incentive.

The Latias prepared to move again, but stopped. She knew it was stupid, but she wanted to see him again. The Latias gently lifted the cloth from his tiny face, and found her child to still be asleep. She gently rubbed his cheek with a claw, and gave a small smile.

'If only Lamina was here to see this.'

"Has anyone seen any Lati? Satellite confirmed the presence of our target in the city."

The Latias froze in place, still staring down at the small Lati she held in her arms as she felt her blood turn to ice. Unless they were looking for some other actively hunted Lati, they knew she was here. Which meant that they knew that her son was in the city.

She hesitated for a single second, before immediately ducking into a nearby alley and wrapped the sleeping Lati back in the cloth. She didn't know if they were using psychic types, and she didn't want to take the risk.

And then, she waited. The Latias considered using a quick mental search using psychic, but decided against it. If there were any psychic or dark types, she'd just be giving herself away. Instead, she'd have to use her good old fashioned eyes.

And, after a short moment of waiting, Three humans, clad in blue clothing, and wearing Heat goggles, strode into view. A Team Aqua kill team. She felt irritation rise further. Those weren't her previous hunters, and worse, unlike the others, Aqua held no qualms with just killing any Lati they found. If they found her, they would kill both her and her progeny without the slightest hesitation. At least with Magma, they tried to capture their prey if possible, giving her leeway to move and dodge. She quietly eased back into the alley, and internally growled.

She could figure out how Magma knew where she was. After all, they had been hunting her the past two days. But Aqua? They had almost no presence in Kanto. And even if they found out the same time as Magma, it'd take them at least a couple hours to get somewhere. She'd been in this city for almost a half hour, at most.

"Why the boss wants this thing dead so much is beyond me. It's just an egg, right?"

She slowly backed away from the entrance of the alleyway, all the while scowling. Something didn't add up. But she didn't have time to ponder on that. The two men were getting closer, and, with those goggles, they would see her instantly, regardless of invisibility.

The other man shrugged, not bothering to look around. "Eggs hatch. Grow up into big things. With how desperate he is with getting it, it probably has something to do with Whirlwind. Why else would the boss send half the group to some city in the middle of Kanto to just wait a week? Whatever it is, mark my words, it'll be trouble."

Wait. They knew she _would_ be here? How? She was so careful, and only her most trusted friends and sister knew where the meeting spot was. Maybe she had a few friends that would blab, but even then, none of them actually knew.

The only ones with that knowledge would be her sister and her two best friends, and her sister betraying her was as absurd as Rayquaza learning to dance Sky Ballet and taking a harem of humans as his mates.

It had to be one of the two. She felt a massive pang of rage and betrayal, but before she could act out on her anger, one of the two humans spoke.

"Too bad we gotta kill them all, ya know? They're just pokemon." The first grunt grumbled. The second man just looked over, and shrugged. "Yeah, but, if we don't, Whirlwind will get them. And, I know that I'd rather be boiled alive than have to go through that."

"Damn Whirlwind."

She couldn't help but agree with that. She looked at the pair of humans, and contemplated killing them, right then and now, and making an avenue for her escape. But, before she could act on the thought, a cold chill ran through her. Where did the third go?

Almost immediately, as if to answer her unasked question, some noise came from behind her. She immediately turned, and found a pair of glowing green eyepieces in the shadows of the alley.

"There ya are, dragon."

* * *

In hindsight, she went a little overboard in dealing with those three. And now, she was feeling the consequences.

Psychic overcharge was a bitch.

The young dragoness shot her arm out and gripped a nearby street sign, using it as momentum to shoot around the corner and ignoring the static jolts she felt in her arm. She then gave a quick glance behind her, and watched as her pursuer, a Large Houndoom, slip on some rubble, quickly rolling end over end, before crashing into a building-side. She gave a internal smirk, and continued through the labyrinthine, recently ash filled streets of the city, quickly scanning with her psychic to try and spot any ambushes that lie in wait. Stealth was no longer a possibility. She was fighting for her, more importantly, his life, and a lack of vigilance would spell doom for the pair. She quickly shot past another street, and, with another pulse of psychic, found that three humans were fighting a differing group, one with a penchant for hoods. Magma was in the city. Took them long enough.

She knew that it was stupid, but she actually felt relief. Magma might have been her previous pursuers, but they wanted her, and her hatchling alive. Plus, they wouldn't just let Aqua take her out, either.

She looked into the sky, and sighed. That also explained the billowing clouds of smoke and blood red sky. They certainly knew how to use their namesake. The two groups probably began fighting the instant Aqua showed up, and she had already spent the past hour dodging hydro-pumps, hyper-fangs, aqua-jets, and Hyper beams, unable to properly fight back, due to the small bundle she carried. She was tiring, and she knew it.

She contemplated trying to make flight, but with Aqua, that never ended well. She could outrun helicopters and jets easily, but she lacked the pure speed to outrun their heavy caliber bullets, and even if she could avoid them, she didn't know that shielding technique. Her hatchling would be subject to the harsh winds and speeds if she tried to flee, and she knew better than to try and experiment and make one up. It was a massive risk, and frankly, there was better chance of her hiding in the sewers then escaping through the air as it was. They were hunting Lati, after all, and they knew it.

The Latias growled in frustration, and darted around another corner, silently hiding in the alleyway for a second. She then quickly poured Psychic energy into a makeshift illusion, and the female quickly turned invisible. A large Houndoom ran passed, and she released a silent breath of relief. She was never as good as her sister when it came to illusions, but apparently she still passed the test when the time required it. She used this unexpected moment for a quick breather. She quickly gave a quick pulse of psychic, and noted that there was no humans for the next few blocks, besides a pair in a nearby building, hiding. The only living thing was her, the hiding pair, and the Houndoom, who was now lost, and wandering around confused.

She sighed happily, and quickly unwrapped the small bundle. She gave a fond glance down, and smiled lightly. Rest was still holding up well, and the small Lati was peacefully sleeping. She gave the tiny newborn a fond little caress with her claw, and sighed. The first thing she was going to do when they got away was give this little one a bath. The little thing still had egg goo on him, and there was even a few bits of errant egg shell glued to it's tiny chest. She gave the young hatchling a lick, wincing slightly at the taste of egg goo. It wasn't the best taste. But, regardless, she gave one more fond lick on her hatchling's cheek, and rewrapped him up. She gave another psychic pulse, and quickly spotted that the Houndoom was returning.

Oh yes. Dark type.

The houndoom slowly came around the corner, it's face in the dirt. She stared at it for a moment, before realizing what it was doing. It was tracking her. She felt a pang of annoyance and anger. This one needed to be removed. She quickly pondered her options, before simply deciding to use her particular form of subtlety. She slowly hovered skyward, and, careful to stay underneath the building's cover, used her psychic to grab a nearby wall, and yanked. The Houndoom managed to give a quick yelp before it was buried under several tons of building, and, after the dust cleared, all there was left was a big pile of rubble.

She gave a satisfied nod, and ignored the pang of pity she felt for the canine. It was her, or him, and she had someone to protect. All she could hope for was that the collapsing building killed it, rather then simply burying it alive.

She one last moment to rest, before leaving the rubble filled alleyway. The noise and rubble would attract unwanted attention, attention she did not need. She took one last look back towards her victim, before shaking her head, and leaving. Now was not the time for regret. She gave a psychic pulse, and again, spotted very few living things nearby, and she found herself questioning the lack of non-gang members. Was the city made of nothing but grunts? Where were the normal trainers, the ones who supposedly fought against these groups? Did they already evacuate? Or, did they already fall?

She felt irritation at the idea. Humans were needed to fight humans, if only because a human was never *just* a human. Alone, they were weak, if extremely sturdy. But, with their standard six trained pokemon...

If there were none left in the city, she was truly in trouble. She couldn't fight hordes with a hatchling in claw.

However, regardless of her need of them, she still hoped that they merely evacuated rather then fell, seeing as the city was ablaze and there was almost no one left in the city beyond combatants. The fire was clearly Team Magma's doing; they were always efficient with destruction. She swung around another corner, and continued down the street.

She looked at the burning buildings as she passed, and felt sadness well up. This was a beautiful city, a bastion of plant-life and filled with beautiful gardens. Now, it was a large tinder-box, slowly catching fire.

No. She needed to focus. She had someone she needed to protect, and feeling regret at the burning city didn't help. She gave the small bundle a reassuring squeeze, and smiled internally, her previous sadness disappearing. When they got out of the city, she immediately was going to find _her_ hatchling a meal. She was getting hungry, herself, and a nice stantler would really-

Before she could finish the thought, an unsuspecting human stepped out from behind a corner, and the Lati, thoughts full of food, promptly bowled over her. She quickly shut down all energy to her wings through reflex, and fell, quickly curling her body around the bundle she held in an attempt to protect her little one. She landed harshly onto her back, knocking the wind out of her as she slid several feet over gravel and broken brick, before immediately rising back up with a vicious snarl. She quickly grabbed the small bundle with her psychic energy, and held him behind her, all while she made a stance. She got distracted, and now, she had to fight again. Her claws immediately lit up with a Dragon Claw, and she looked over her opponent, completely ready to finish the fight before it began. This wouldn't be the first life she ended today, nor would it be the last.

The human slowly forced its way to its feet, and stood up. As the Dragoness prepared to strike, she got a small glance at the human. She wasn't wearing any uniform, and, instead, was just a young girl, roughly around thirteen. She felt conflict bubble up in her gut, but she continued her glare nonetheless, and didn't dare move, instead giving the youth a stead, hesitant glare. Just because it was young didn't make it less dangerous. She herself was a shining example of that. The young girl stared back, and, after a moment, spoke, slowly raising its hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm not gonna hurt you..." She said softly. The young Lati blinked in bemusement. "Are you a Latias? I've only seen pictures..."

The Dragoness didn't cease her glare, but she did use her psychic to feel her emotions. Sincerity, concern, a bit of determination and a protective streak. In addition, she noted, a desire to enforce justice. She definitely had the aura of a pokemon trainer, and a quick glance to the youth's hips revealed a couple pokeballs. So, she was at least armed. She smiled internally, and looked over the trainer. She was rather small, but she didn't waver under her eyes as she glanced over her. She was strong willed, too. Or incredibly dense and fool-hearty. Just like her sister.

She nodded slightly in satisfaction, and instead, spoke directly to her."You, girl. What is your intention?!" She barked out. Emotions could be faked on the surface. Sometimes, you best option was to dig.

The girl jumped a little at the rough bark, and carefully backed up a bit, nervousness evident in her eyes. She was unable to understand her question, and her confusion and apprehension shown that she knew she was asked a question. The young Latias frowned a bit. She didn't have time for charades, and frankly, neither did this girl, one way or another. The young girl awkwardly stared for a bit, before speaking again. "You, you are a Latias. Are you why Team Whirlwind showed up?"

The Latias felt her mind go blank as the words rang through her ears, and, as they did, they quickly set her mind ablaze with dread. Team Whirlwind was here. Oh, Arceus, Team Whirlwind was here. The Dragoness felt her heart stop. The girl had to be lying.

Now, the Latias couldn't use telepathy. She never bothered to learn the skill, unlike her sister, and she always saw the difficult skill as pointless, seeing as all it enabled her to do was speak to humans and pokemon without making much noise. But now, she regretted that decision wholeheartedly, and felt a massive pang of remorse. But, regardless of her regrets, she wasn't a psychic for nothing. She didn't have many options, so, she would simply force her words into the girl's head. She quickly drew up some psychic power, and _drilled_ the statement into the girls mind, forcing her mind to understand it at a base level. "TELL ME THE TRUTH!"

The girl cried out in pain, and quickly fell to her knees, holding her head desperately. "I am! I am!"

Latias growled in irritation, and decided to simply rip the knowledge out of her head. She had precious little time, and every second she spent with this liar, the closer her pursuers were to her hatchling. She growled angrily, it was very difficult to rifle through a human's head at the best of times, and trying it under stress wasn't the easiest maneuver.

But, while her sister had her illusions and amazing control, she had sheer power and skill. She'd make do. She quickly forced her mental probe into the girl's mind, and felt herself become awash with memories. She quickly searched through them, and after a short moment, found... nothing. She would've gave a sigh of relief, but, before she could, a single, unread memory sat there, taunting her.

She engulfed it and...

Froze.

The girl told the truth. The young mother felt her psychic energy go haywire with the shock, and she forced it to disperse into the air instead of into a target. She barely managed to bring the small bundle back into her arms before her energy failed.. She shook her head. Whirlwind was here.

* * *

The young girl slowly shook her head to clear the pain, and slowly stood back up, giving a sideways glare to the Eon dragon. "Hey! That really..."

But, before she could finish her sentence, her anger died. The dragon looked terrified. The young girl felt a pang of pity, and, after a moment, stepped forward a bit. While the dragon wasn't clearly nice, it still needed help. And it was clearly afraid. And, as her mother always said, a desperate Pokemon was a mean one, regardless of its nature before. She got slightly closer, and tried to give a comforting smile. "Don't worry, I'll protect you..."

The young Latias turned her head to the young human when she heard the words, and, after a few seconds, actually laughed. She felt several shuddering breaths shake her frame, and she laughed. She laughed until she realized she wasn't laughing. She felt the warmth of her tears rolling down her cheeks, and found herself viciously wiping at them in anger. As quick as her sorrow appeared, her blistering rage replaced it. Damn them. Damn Whirlwind. She wouldn't let them take him, ever. Even...

A extreme, terrifying thought passed through her mind.

Even if she had to kill him herself. She would not let her little hatchling be taken and... By whirlwind! She growled in rage, and after a moment of contemplating, prepared a shadow claw. It would be quickest and... he would hopefully feel nothing.

But, before she would do this, she turned around, looking straight into the eyes of the now terrified young girl, who had terror and confusion etched all over her face. She glared at the small bearer of bad news, but, after a moment, a small spark of an idea wormed it's way into her mind. Whirlwind was looking for her, a Latias. A mother that would never dream of leaving her child.

She could, no, _would_ be bait. She thought about it for a moment; the plan was certainly desperate, but, it was a plan, one that could prove survival for her little Latios. She quickly glanced down to the small bundle behind her, and felt a twinge of hope. There was a chance... But not for her. Heavens knew that there no hope for her. She quickly deactivated her Shadow Claw, and turned around, ignoring the sounds of what was most likely one of her many hunters getting close, and gently grabbed her child.

She drew it close, trying to memorize the experience. This was her last time to say goodbye. After her short embrace, she slowly unwrapped the blankets, and found a pair of brown eyes staring back. 'Rest must have worn off...'

"What's that?" The girl asked curiously, unable to see what the bundle held. However, she did notice the reverence the dragon had for it.

Latias ignored the young human, and gently gave the small Latios a soft nuzzle and a softer smile, and pulled back to give a small lick. Tasted like soot and egg goo. 'Goodbye, little one. Mommy loves you more then anything. Grow up strong. Stay safe.'

She used yawn, and watched peacefully as the small pokemon fell back asleep. The Dragoness then rewrapped the blankets, and, giving the small Lati a small, warm hug, carefully placed the bundle into the human's arms, and, before the human could react, shoved the girl in the opposite direction as the encroaching voices. "Keep him safe!" Was all she shouted, and immediately shot off back from where she came.

The young girl couldn't help but be extremely confused, but she could easily tell what the Latias wanted. It wanted her to run, and protect this warm little... thing. And so, she simply ran. She ran away from the first sounds of battle that reached her ears, with the sound of a hyper beam and a large explosion. And even then, all that did was drove her to run faster.

Whatever happened, she knew one thing. she had to keep this small thing safe. That Latias ran off to fight who knows what to keep it safe, it had to be important.

But, after several minutes or so of running, the youth found herself stumbling, completely out of breath. She quickly tried to think of her options, and decided that she wouldn't be able to escape from a pursuer if they caught her like this. So, she quickly found herself an empty alley, and ducked in. There, the girl took several gulping breaths, before quickly checking around the corner, making sure she wasn't spotted. She spotted nothing, and, after a moment of listening, decided that she was alone, and safe for the moment, before sitting down. She took several more deep breaths, before look down at the bundle of blankets and cloth she held. It was certainly small, and abnormally warm. She contemplated poking it, before deciding to simply open it up. "So... What's so important about you?" She pondered aloud.

The girl slowly unwrapped the blankets, careful not to break what might end up being some priceless relic, and, once the cloth was free, quickly found the answer. In the bundle of blankets in her arms laid A very small, sleeping Latios. The girl stared for a moment, before realizing what this meant. The Latias was protecting her child. Which she entrusted to her. She felt dual pangs of panic and pride. She was trusted to protect something extremely precious. Something that the entire city was probably burning for. "Oh... So Whirlwind and all those guys are after you and your momma... Aren't they?"

After a few more moments of staring at the tiny little dragon, the girl tore her eyes away, and stood back up. She had a new resolve, and she swore that she would protect this small pokemon with her life. She slowly and gently wrapped the hatchling with the blankets she held, and gave the small bundle a light smile. "Your momma trusted me to protect you, so I'm gonna keep you safe, Okay? And, we'll get you to her after this, 'Kay?" She didn't get a real answer, but the soft sigh the hatchling gave was easily enough for her.

She pondered for a second on where she should go, before quickly deciding to try the Pokemon center. Usually, if her memory served her correctly, whenever something happened, most pokemon trainers would meet up at the pokemon center, using it as a command center, or such. That would be the safest place. 'Plus,' she added mentally, 'it's close to the city limits, in case I have to run.'

She hugged the bundle closely, and, after checking the street for opponents, quickly sprinted out of the alleyway, and down the street. 'If I remember right, it's just two blocks down on Boulder Street.' She mumbled to herself as she ran down the road. 'Park Street, Electric Street... Ah! Boulder!'

She quickly went around the corner, and froze in place. The entire pokemon center was ablaze, and the remains of the building were surrounded by fighting Team Whirlwind and Team Magma members. She couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment, in absolute shock. 'Why are they doing this?'

She would have remained there for another moment, but the small Latios in her arms shifted a bit, quickly reminding her of the situation. 'Right, like teacher said. Focus. Think about the burning city later.' She quickly pondered her options, and decided to use her back-up plan. She quickly tried to turn and run towards the city exit, but, before she could run, a voice shouted out, stopping her in her tracks. "Hey, you! What do you have there!"

She quickly turned and pulled the baby closer, and watched in dread as a man dressed in a green uniform with a pair of goggles walking towards her, ignoring the battle around him. She backed up a few steps, and quickly found herself against a wall. The man stopped a few feet away, and stared at her for a moment with his goggles, watching in sick interest as they zoomed in and out. "Well, well, well! Look what we found ourselves. Just what we were looking for. Thanks, kid."

The girl couldn't help but feel panic. He already knew. She quickly froze, and felt dread ooze over her.

"I'm sure Lieutenant Horace will reward you handsomely."

But, somewhere inside her, she felt a small speck of anger and defiance. Why should she give the small Pokemon up? Why did they want it so badly?

"N-no."

The man genuinely looked surprised. He didn't seem to consider the option that she would refuse. "What?"

And she found strength in that. She drew from that strength, and, pulling the small bundle close with one arm, reached down with her opposite and grasped a pokeball. "No. I won't let you have him. Irama, Go!" She quickly threw out the ball, and it immediately released a Dratini. The small Dragon blinked for a second, before quickly making a defensive pose in front of her, immediately sensing the urgency of the situation upon spotting the surroundings. The man smiled at the sight of the small dragon, and nodded in mock approval. "A dragon trainer, huh? A little far from home, aren't we?"

The girl simply nodded in return, and gave a cold glare in response. She had to protect her charge. She quickly thought about her options, and a thought crossed her mind. Seeing all the bodies of grunts and trainers that laid around, she figured that these trainers weren't playing exactly fair. So, neither would she. "Quick, use Dragon rage on him!"

Dratini, to its credit, didn't hesitate. It quickly shot his attack at the green suited man, and the man screamed in pain as the hot green flames knocked him over. She quickly returned her Pokemon, gave the pokeball a kiss, and ran. She might be able to beat the one grunt, but all of his friends? Not a chance. The green man quickly recovered, and after putting out the flames on his sleeve, he turned, and shouted to his comrades. She immediately ran like a Houndoom was on her tail, and turned around a corner. She quickly found herself weaving through streets and alleys, with only the thought of protecting the small thing in her arms on her mind. Before she realized how far she made it, she found herself at the city exit, and found herself staring down several men, dressed in black suits emblazoned with a single red R.

She felt a pang of irritation at the blockade, but she recognized the uniforms. Team Rocket. A threat, but less of one compared to the three other teams. They, ironically, had a sense of honor. "Let me pass!"

The several men laughed at her command, and more then a few glared at her, and she quickly found herself in an intense stare off. The group of men and women stared at her, and she glared back at them. They were blocking her path, and she needed out of the city. After a short moment, a grunt moved forward, and released an Ekans, and gave her a smirk. "Let's see how ya dance. Maybe, if you beat me, We'll let you go."

She moved her hand to her hip, and reached for a pokeball. But, before she could reach one, a strong hand grabbed her shoulder, and she felt a jolt as she glanced back. "There will be no need of that." She got a look at her captor, a suited man, and prepared to struggle, but... upon spying the man's cold eyes, she couldn't bring herself to.

She was quickly led to the center of the grunts, and was pushed somewhat roughly down, and was forced to sit. "Listen, girl. I want you to sit here, shut up, and stay put. If you're good, I won't have you tied."

"Executive Giovanni! Her pursuers are here!" The man simply nodded, and gave her one last look. "Good. Finally, we can put an end to Team Whirlwind's irksome charade." The man calmly drew out a poke-ball, and released a Meowth. "You know what to do."

The Meowth nodded, and it ran forward, immediately meeting the first grunt with a headbutt to the midsection. But, before it could get further, it was tackled by a Poochyena.

He turned towards a small group of grunts that stood around the girl, and frowned. "She is **not** to be freed. Use any means necessary to keep her safe, understood? If there's even a hair missing, _I_ will deal with you."

The group of grunts nodded, and the rest of Team Rocket rushed forward alongside the man in the suit, and pushed the green clad grunts back. They quickly dispatched the first couple grunts, but, before the battle turned completely in their favor, more reinforcements arrived. The battle was a stalemate after that, men on both sides fighting and falling; all the while the youth felt her hope dwindle. She was trapped, and, the small child would be taken away. Maybe even killed. She felt a few tears well up, and clenched her fist.

She was a fail-

Before she could finish the thought, she heard the unmistakable sound of a rocket, and looked up. She watched as a hyper-beam went wide, and collided with one of the many helicopters flying through the air. There was a sound of screeching metal, and it began spinning precariously as the tail burst into a gout of flames.

She jolted, and watched desperately as the helicopter spun rapidly, and, after a moment, realized that it was spinning towards them. She felt everything slow, and, suddenly, had an epiphany. She quickly drew out a pokeball, and threw it down. "Irama, Flash!" The small Dratini immediately did so, and the group of Grunts shielded their eyes, and she took her opportunity. She leap up, barely managing to recall her pokemon before sprinting in the direction of the city exit. She barely got sixty feet when she heard a deafing explosion and wrenching of metal, and felt a solid push come from behind, almost knocking her off balance.

The girl continued on the road longer then she ever recalled running before, she ran until there was no buildings around her, until she could only see the smoking silhouette of the City known as Celadon, painted orange with the color of many burning fires. And, once she got to the crossroad for viridian, she finally managed to burn through all of her adrenaline. She clumsily stumbled, and barely managed to catch herself. She barely managed to sit, and looked back, and found herself three miles outside of the city. She simply sat there, panting desperately for a few minutes, before hearing a small noise from the bundle she held. She blinked in confusion, still panting, but, after a moment, her curiosity outpaced her sheer exhaustion, and she decided to investigate.

She glanced down and gently pulled back the blankets, and, after a moment of shifting cloth, found herself meeting the tiny, brown eyes of a small Latios. She stared at it, and it stared at her, and she felt... a connection. She then felt a fond smile form, and she gently rubbed the small dragon's cheek with her free hand. "So... What should I call you...?" The girl pondered as she continued to pet the small Dragon's face. She eventually, however, pulled back her hand, and when she did, she found it to be covered in soot.

She couldn't help but frown lightly, and quickly decided to remedy her newest ward's hygiene problem, and gently sat down the small Lati beside her. She shuffled awkwardly for a moment, trying to free herself from her small backpack, before finally managing to take it off, and placed it in front of her. She quickly opened it up, and, after a bit of rummaging, pulled out a cloth, and a bottle of water. "Here we go..." She cooed lightly, "Let's get you all clean." She quickly damped the cloth, and wiped the small Lati's face free of the charcoal from the city that made its way into the blankets, along with what seemed to be bits of egg. She wiped down the small lati, and, after several moments, found that her rag was now stained black. She stared at it for a moment, before a thought came to mind.

"I know. I think I'll call you... Ash."

* * *

Giovanni sat there, scowling at seemingly nothing in general, as the rest of his men mopped up the rest of Team whirlwind's resistance. There had been far too many casualties. Good men, lost, and even then, Whirlwind still managed to get away. Sure, he managed to essentially hamstring the organization if reports were correct. Several admins and leaders killed, dozens, if not hundreds of grunts dead, and tens millions of dollars in equipment destroyed. But they would heal. All he did was slow them down. "Sir!"

The man almost jumped, and swore at his loss of attention. However, it took barely a half second for him to regain his balance, and he simply looked at the grunt, and nodded in acceptance. "Report."

The grunt blinked nervously, and began his report. "Sir, we have confirmation of all eyes on the city have been blinded as of two hours previous. GPS, satellite, and almost all overhead aircraft have all been disabled. Also... The girl was confirmed escaping, and, just to be sure, we checked and found that her body wasn't found at the crash site. Should we give chase?"

Giovanni shook his head in disapproval. She managed to get away, but the same couldn't be said about the men and women he placed to guard her. It seemed she had the sense to run. And the luck to make it out alive. "No. We don't have the manpower at the moment, and, if what you've said is true, Whirlwind doesn't know we don't have her anymore, much less that she isn't still in the city. Seeing as they don't have the pokemon she was protecting, our mission was a success. Report that we have her over the public channel, and that we... exterminated the Latios."

The grunt raised an eyebrow skeptically, but quickly schooled his face back to an expression of cool indifference. "Will that... work, sir?"

The executive simply smiled, and shrugged. "Whirlwind will certainly be suspicious, but they're not in a position to be able to confirm that fact. Change some facts about her in the report. Age, hair color, I don't care. As long as the girl doesn't do something stupid, they won't even know that dragon still exists. And seeing as she's still alive, after what this city's been through, I doubt that she's that foolish."

And then, Giovanni frowned. "Once we've regrouped, and are able to make a search, we'll have ourselves a man hunt. And, perhaps, this time, the prey will be an actual challenge."

* * *

**A/N As you've probably seen, I've tried for a more... serious story this time around. No random off-the-wall comedy, no silly portrayals of characters. I also have to say this, the Latias that is Ash's mother is not the Latias from pokemon heroes. They are of no relation whatsoever. Just so it's clear. **

**Feel free to be overly critical to the point of absurdity. I can use criticism, regardless of how vague or undirected it may be. Heck, even flames can be used. So, feel free to rage if you want. I can take it, I promise. **


	2. A new morning, but with a new face

**A/N Well, this came out sooner then I anticipated. I promised myself that I would start writing once I had 5 reviews. Took a grand total of 5 hours for that, so, here's the second chapter!**

**Updated this chapter on the 2nd of September, because I am a slow person.**

* * *

Ash could feel his heart pumping heavily; his adrenaline rushing like fire through his veins, making every thought seem instantaneous. This, right here, was why he became a pokemon trainer. It wasn't for some silly power trip, or the sense of control over something that could easily crush him if it so desired. "Dragonite, Hyper Beam now!"

It was the rush of battle, the sense of companionship that he felt as he and his pokemon moved in sync, and the pride he felt in his team when they achieved the impossible. And it was easy to say that he loved it. There was absolutely nothing else he'd rather be. He was a pokemon trainer, a leader for his pokemon when they needed it, but a student to them when he made his own mistakes. He was their trainer, and they were his pokemon, and, more importantly, his best friends.

This thought warmed him as he watched the large dragon charged up the powerful attack, and he waited until the last second before shouting his counter. "Pikachu, use Volt tackle to dodge it!"

His trusted Pikachu obeyed immediately, and shot forward almost impossibly fast, easily ducking under the powerful hyper beam and hitting his opponent, A rather large Dragonite, straight in the chest. The large pokemon grunted in pain, and stumbled backwards. Pikachu quickly bounced back, panting and feeling the pain of the recoil. This was it, Ash noticed, the moment of truth. Neither pokemon could take much more, and Pikachu had a clear opening.

It was time for him to claim his destiny. Ash felt himself smirk. Now was his chance to make his mother proud. "Pikachu! Use Thunder! Give it all you got!" His pokemon nodded with a conspiratorial smirk, and unleashed a massive jolt of electricity, blinding both him and the massive crowd that watched. It immediately hit the large Dragon dead center, but all Ash and the spectators could see was a blinding light.

After a moment, the light died down, and immediately, a hushed silence fell over the entire stadium. The smoke from his last attack slowly cleared, Ash could once again see his opponent's pokemon. It was face down, and it's eyes were closed. The Dragonite was finally beaten.

Ash felt his heart stop as the moment finally dawned on him. He... actually won. He finally did it. He was, for real, a pokemon master. He _was_ the very best. As the thought slowly dawned on him, a deafening roar came from the stands. They were cheering, for him. They actually were happy, for him.

He did it.

"Ladies, and gentlemen, I would like to announce the new pokemon champion of the world, Ash Ketchum!"

Ash felt a few tears well up in the corners of his eyes, and he couldn't help himself as he quickly jumped down into the field. He ran over to his best friend, and plucked up the exhausted Pikachu, hugging him tightly. He did it. No, _they_ did it. He and his pokemon. They finally proved themselves the best. "Pikachu! We did it!"

The small pokemon cheered weakly, his exhaustion showing, and returned his hug. Ash spun them around once, and laughed. His dream finally came true. He couldn't believe it. He knew that, one day, he'd succeed, and now, he finally made it.

The two simply bathed in the moment, and only noticed that the previous champion had walked up to them when he spoke. The man was wearing a warm, happy smile, and if Ash had to say, he looked like a very kind, wise individual. "You did well, kid."

Ash continued his smile, but found himself blushing a bit at the sudden proximity of his hero. This man was a legend, the greatest pokemon master that ever was. And he beat him. "Th-Thanks, sir."

The man smiled kindly back, and, after a moment's hesitation, awkwardly patted his shoulder. "You... You are truly my son."

Ash immediately froze. Wait... son? Ash always knew he had a father somewhere, who didn't? But his mom never said anything, and Ash never asked. Could it be? Was his father the legendary Pokemon Master? "You... You're my dad?"

The man nodded slowly. "Yep. Being a pokemon master is hard work, I couldn't just leave. But now, I can finally go home now. So... let's go, son."

Ash felt more tears well up. Today was easily the happiest day of his-

***BZZZZZZZZZZT***

* * *

All Ash could feel for the first moment of consciousness was pain, the familiar kind that came from being electrocuted, along with all the twitching muscles and the familiar, coppery taste in his mouth that he'd felt nearly every morning for the last five years. His eyes shot open as his body involuntarily twitched and shuddered, and, after what seemed to be an eternity, the shock relented. He felt his mind swim confusingly, but, after several moments, he managed to gain sense of where he was.

Oh, right. Unova. He was on another journey. He sighed unhappily, that had been a very nice dream...

"Who are you? Where is Ash!?"

Ash couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation with a side of confusion as he sat there dazed and confused. He'd been shocked worse, but still, it would be a couple seconds before his senses returned to him. The only thing that he noticed right off was that the shock was a considerably harder jolt than usual. He must of rolled over onto Pikachu again. "Ugh... A little less jolt next time, buddy."

Ash grumbled a bit, his eyes still closed, and sighed. He had worse wake-ups. He sat there for one more moment, before trying to roll over. But it seemed that something was in his way. If he had to guess, it felt as if someone tied a 2x4 to his back. His senses were probably still screwed up, and the numbness he felt all over seemed to be in agreement. He tried to roll over again, before just giving up. He must have got caught on a tree branch or something.

"I asked you a question! Where is Ash?"

Ash felt a second pang of confusion, and he released a deep sigh. It was gonna be one of _those_ mornings. He blearily opened his eyes, and morosely gave a bored, almost irritated look over to his starter, who simply sat there, giving him a glare. While this wasn't the weirdest accusation Pikachu had ever gave in the morning, (The electric starter was a worse morning person then he was,) it was still a strange one. He rolled his eyes in irritation, and replied to his electric type. "Pikachu, I told you not to eat Pecha berries before bed."

Ash was completely unprepared for the second shock, and his body twitched viciously as he gave out a cry. That shock was ironically far more standard, but it still hurt. The instant the electricity stopped, Ash slumped back down, before weakly trying to sit up. Alright, not his brightest reply. He grumbled a bit, and tried to lift his arms, but found them tightly bound by some unknown material.

It was a very unpleasant feeling. Ash felt a pang of anger, and squirmed a bit, his body quickly regaining it's strength. "I swear, Pikachu, if you tied me up again..."

He leaned weakly up, and spotted that, instead of rope, he was bound tightly by his sleeping bag. In fact, from the tiny bit he could actually see, it was nearly bursting at the seams, holding him in. Ash felt a pang of claustrophobia, and a random thought popped into his head. He knew he shouldn't have bought the cheapest sleeping bag he found.

He felt a pang of panic, and forced himself to sit up further, and quickly looked around. The first thing he noticed, beyond his shrunk sleeping bag, was a pair of big, blue... boards? Big, blue things jutting out of either side of his sleeping bag. He really did regret his sleeping bag choice. Random shrinking and boards appearing inside his sleeping bag certainly wasn't in the manual.

His mind couldn't really register what they were, but they were clearly the reason why he couldn't roll over. He immediately tried to sit up further, but, for some unsaid reason, he found that his back was unable to make any further journey. His neck, however, could.

Ash couldn't help but freeze in confusion. His neck didn't move like that. Or, at least, it shouldn't. It took him several moments for him to register the action, and all the while, he sat there in sheer bewilderment. But, after a moment, he started moving random body parts, just to see if anything else was off. Sure enough, his arms were far lower on his body than they should've been. And he couldn't feel his legs. And, with that, the answer became clear.

Either he was shocked silly, or someone stole his legs.

He hopped for the latter. That would be easier to explain than having to tell his mom about somehow losing his legs. He tried to lift his limbs again, watched as the sleeping bag's seams stretched further. But, he just didn't have the momentum to tear the heavy ply of the sleeping iimplement, and he found that he was completely trapped in his somehow considerably-smaller-then-normal sleeping bag, without his legs.

At this point, all logic went out the window. He quickly felt another pang of panic, and began to struggle. "Pikachu! Help, I'm trapped!" Ash yelped in desperation, before quickly trying to roll over. He felt some pain rush from the pair of boards on his back, and that did nothing more then to incite more panic. He quickly squirmed back and forth, pointedly ignoring the pain from his new additions, until he managed to actually get on his stomach.

All the while, Pikachu watched this. His expression initially was one of anger, but his rage found it hard to keep it up, and he instead became torn between a strange mix of fury and amusement. The electric type watched this for a moment, before sighing. This intruder certainly didn't eat Ash. Even if Ash slept like a boulder drugged with Ponyta Tranquilizer, he still couldn't sleep through this dragon bumbling around with him.

Never mind the fact that Pikachu slept in his trainer's arms. There was simply no way.

However, this still left many questions unanswered. Such as how the Latios got into Ash's sleeping bag, how he didn't wake Pikachu up, and, the most important one, where the hell Ash was.

The starter pokemon stared, and felt his eye twitch. How? The Dragon's wings were torn through the edges for Arceus' sake. He couldn't just have 'slipped' in.

All the while, Ash was getting desperate. He still felt completely off, and the sleeping bag, for all it's massive, horrific faults, still refused to tear. He found himself forced to do a imitation of the "Caterpie" just so he could move around, and his chin was beginning to hurt from using it as an oar of sorts. "Oh Arceus! I can't feel my legs!"

The electric type raised an eyebrow. That raised some more, considerably stupider questions. Pikachu felt his amusement fade, and his rage increase, his admittedly small reserve of patience fail. This... Idiot probably knew where Ash was. He didn't know what was worse, the fact that Ash was missing, or the fact that he managed to get so easily bested by such an imbecile. "What do you mean, you even don't have legs!"

The Latios panicked. "I know! Who would steal a guy's legs!?"

The blue dragon simply screamed incoherently again after that, and Pikachu winced at the higher pitched voice. If this had happened at any other time, Pikachu wouldn't be able to stop himself from laughing. But, alas, Ash was gone. There wasn't a moment in the world that could distract him from that. The starter sighed, and gave the dragon a serious look. "Where is Ash?"

The Latios stopped struggling for a second, and turned his head towards the electric type. "Pikachu, I am Ash!"

Pikachu frowned. No, he simply refused. They had been through many weird adventures, but he staunchly refused to accept Ash transforming into a Pokemon again, this time, with absolutely no warning or reason.

But, he knew it could happen. Again. "Fine. If you're my Trainer, _Ash Ketchum_, then prove it."

The dragon then sat there for a moment, looking betrayed. "Pikachu, you're my best friend! We saved the world together. How could you forget me?"

Pikachu blinked. Was he was trying to guilt him? Pikachu didn't even know what guilt tripping _was_ until he met Togepi. "Everybody knows that we saved the world. Try again."

"Fine, you, er... You love ketchup."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow. So, Maybe. Or, this pokemon was also a creeper. He winced, and hoped that this dragon didn't go the Buneary route. A female one was bad enough; having a male dragon that was ten times his size would be terrifying. "And I ate some last night. You could've watched me eat some. Which is creepy."

Ash gave him a disbelieving look, before going silent. He had to think of something that only he would know. After a moment of thought, an idea came to mind. "Oh! I know, you have a** huge** crush on May's Glaceon."

Pikachu froze at that. Only one, ok, maybe two people knew that. That could only mean that this large blue Idiot...

Pikachu looked back over to Ash...

Was his large blue idiot.

Ash simply stared in hope, and waited for Pikachu's verdict.

Pikachu sat there for a moment, before his brain finally caught up.

"What in the cold, bleak, and barren Distortion world did you do?!"

Ash blinked in response. "What do ya mean?"

Pikachu put his paws up to his head, and held his head in exasperation. "You're a pokemon! A large, big, blue dragon! Whatcha do this time? Pee on Dialga's Growlithe? Cut Arceus off in traffic?! Steal the _last_ cookie!? What!?"

Ash sat there for a second, before speaking slowly. "All I know is that I'm kinda stuck in a sleeping bag. I can't even feel my legs."

The exasperated electric type growled a bit, and continued. "You don't even have any legs to feel! You're just sitting there, being all, I don't know, dragon-ey and stuff!"

Pikachu quickly grabbed the sleeping bag's zipper, and yanked, and, with an unceremonious plop, Ash rolled out. "Thank you! Now, I can- These aren't my arms."

Ash quickly looked down, and stared. "And... I don't have legs."

Pikachu stared at him for a second, before shouting. "I already told you that! Weren't you even listening?"

Ash quickly tried to move, and found himself unable to actually go anywhere. "I thought you had just had some bad ketchup last night, or ate some Pecha berries!" He shouted back as used his arms to drag himself over to the nearby tree stump where he kept his backpack. After digging in it for a moment, he pulled out a small mirror. He held it up, and saw his own jaw drop. "I'm... I'm a pokemon."

Pikachu nodded, and rolled his eyes. "Yep. Real mystery. Now, any other observations you wish to bestow upon us mindless peons?"

Ash ignored him, and continued to stare, tilting the mirror to get a better loom at himself. "I'm a Latios."

Pikachu huffed, and hopped over. "Yes. Very good. And you're blue. Anything else?"

Ash continued to stare at himself, not paying any heed to Pikachu. After a few awkward moments, the starter sighed, and awkwardly patted his shoulder, feeling a unwelcome pang of fear rush through him when Ash looked over to him. "Alright... I'm sorry. It's just... really? A latios? You're even speaking like a proper pokemon. It's a little much."

Ash nodded slightly, and sighed too. "I get it. It's just...why? When I turned into a Pikachu, it was because some magician. Not, 'surprise! You're a pokemon!' Heck, I can't even move right."

Pikachu nodded at this. "Eh, you'll get it. Eventually."

Ash frowned, and continued. "And how am I supposed to speak to my friends? Heck, they'll probably do what you did."

"Probably. You still have what's left of all your clothes on you and everything, after all. It looks like you mauled yourself, now that you're out of the sleeping bag. All we're missing is some poorly strewn ketchup, and it'd be a murder scene."

"Pikachu, not helping." Ash grumbled as he looked down, and looked himself over. He was covered in torn strips of his old clothes. Probably from him randomly transforming in the middle of the night. He quickly started grabbing them, and throwing them off. After a moment, Ash was clear. "There... Now what?" Pikachu shrugged, and patted his side. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "You know," Pikachu started, "Latios usually fly, right?"

Ash grumbled. "Well, yeah, but If I knew how to, I already would be. Always sounded cool to do."

Pikachu gave him a smirk. "Well, they are psychic, so, maybe you should just, think about it or something. Just a thought."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Oh, ha ha. Funny. If I could, I would."

Pikachu shrugged, and thought in silence for a second. He honestly had no idea how to operate a body. However, he did know pokemon attacks. "Well, maybe... they're like my electric sacks in my cheeks. You know, like muscles. You just gotta know where they are, and after that, just, well, try to use them."

Ash raised a eyebrow. "So, any clue what we're looking for, Dr. Chu?"

Pikachu shrugged. "Well, maybe those tailfin things. Or those lumps that are on your sides that your wings are on, or something. Try those."

Ash nodded, and tried to concentrate on his wings, and, while he did that, Pikachu spoke on. "Oh, and if they work like my electric sacks, I would be, erm, gentle with them? Hesitant? I don't know, just, you know how fast Latios can be, and I doubt you want to try and break the sound barrier straight into the side of a tree."

Ash nodded, and he slowly, and gently, concentrated on the base of his wings. After a moment, he felt a slight tingle. He concentrated on it, and, slowly, gently, floated up off the ground. "I got it!" Pikachu smiled. "Good! Now... um... Are you gonna stop going up?" Ash frowned, and realized that he was still continuing his journey towards the sky. He quickly panicked, and stopped his energy to his wings roughly ten feet off the ground, and immediately fell right back down.

"OOMPH!"

Pikachu couldn't help but fall over and laugh. "Oh, Arceus, did you see your face?"

Ash glared at his starter, and tried again. He slowly bobbed up, and, after reaching the right height, managed to slowly stop. "There! I think I got it!" Pikachu grinned, and gave him his customary peace sign. "Good for you!" Ash tried to return it, and found himself floating slowly backward. "Woah, woah. Ummm... How do I stop?" He quickly windmilled his arms, and found himself floating faster. "No, no no no-no-no-no-"

*THUMP*

Ash hit the back of his head off of a tree, and winced. "Ow." Pikachu raised an eyebrow, and shrugged. "Try pushing forward, or something." Ash growled, still trying to move forward. "These things don't have video game controls, you know!" After a few minutes of effort, Ash got the hang of not floating away.

"I... I think I got this."

Ash slowly floated forwards, and then, moved slowly towards backpack. He grabbed it, and, adding more energy, managed to stay airborne while holding it."Yes! I got it!"

Ash continued to move forwards, backwards and quickly found that doing it came quite naturally. This did not go unnoticed. "Hmmm... Seems you got some instincts going on there. Whoever you ticked off, they were thorough."

Ash smirked. "Instincts, huh? Whatcha mean? I'm just awesome."

Pikachu rolled his eyes, and ignored his comment, smiling. "Well, did you think that pokemon could learn quickly enough to battle within a day or so of hatching? No, we pokemon know most of all we need about our bodies after we hatch. We're cool that way."

Ash rolled his eyes and smiled. "Yeah, and we humans are so-"

But, before Ash could finish, some rustling came up from behind the pair. The two of them immediately turned, and saw as Iris came up from the bushes. She quickly got one look at Ash and the large mess around them, and drew out a pokeball. "What did you do to Ash!?"

* * *

**A/N Well, hoped you liked it. If you didn't, had something that should have been different in your opinion, wanted to feed me to something large and/or scaley, or just like making meep noises, feel free to review. I can use any and all criticism, be it logical, emotional, or delusional. You get to decide which one it is.**

**A hearty thanks to my hearty brea-**

**Erm, My beta, Syrup-waffle!**


	3. What the heck is a compass?

**A/N I hope I got Iris' reaction right. If I didn't, please say something. I never really watched Black/white, so all I got is what the almighty wiki/tv trope's Character page has to say. **

**Enjoy!**

**A Great many thanks to my awesome Beta, Syrup-Waffle!**

**Updated on September 3rd, because, while I said I was slow, I'm not _that_ slow. **

* * *

The aggressive tone the girl used made the blue Latios freeze in place. That was not a happy sounding Dragon trainer. Dread filled his gut, and he looked over to Pikachu, who looked equally worried. They both knew this probably wouldn't end well.

Iris glared at Ash, and yelled in a tone that didn't allow for any argument. "I asked you a question! Where is Ash!?"

Ash stared at Iris for a second, his mind quickly searching for a course of action. His mind came up with training pokemon, and he cursed his lack of social skills. He always understood pokemon better than humans. He quickly decided to simply go for it, and gave Iris his best attempt at a comforting smile. Maybe, if he took it just like he did with a Pokemon, it'd work out. Iris got one look at Ash's face, and her eyes opened marginally. Ash's smile grew slightly, and he slowly raised his hands in what he hoped to be a non-threatening gesture, and floating towards her. "Now Iris..." He spoke lowly.

Iris immediately had a look of fear pass over her face, and she quickly released her pokemon, her emolga. "Stay back! Emolga, thunder shock!" She yelled aggressively, and gave Ash her best glare.

But, while Iris seemed to remain calm, her Pokemon did not. The instant it was out, Emolga panicked upon seeing the large dragon, and quickly let loose a large bolt of electricity, hitting Ash. Ash felt the very familiar rush of electricity, but, compared to Pikachu, it was very weak. He quickly shook his head in mild irritation, and stared. "That... didn't really hurt. Being a Pokemon is awesome."

Iris frowned, and she reached down to her belt, returning Emolga, and going for another Pokeball. "Excadrill! Help!"

The large drill pokemon immediately materialized from her hip, hearing her angry cry. It normally would've ignored her, but after getting a single look at her opponent, it was clear that she needed its help. The fact that it was facing a legendary in the middle of the destroyed remains of its trainer's camp made the stakes very clear.

It simply grunted, and made a defensive stance. Now was not a time for complaints. "Excadrill!"

The pokemon simply rolled its eyes, and looked forward, trying to stare down the large dragon. Pikachu simply looked back and forth between the two, completely unsure as for what to do. "Use metal claw!"

The pokemon complied immediately, and shot forward towards Ash, hitting him in the dead center of his chest, knocking him back. "OOOMPH!" Ash quickly bounced a few times, and felt his head swim. Was this what it was like for pokemon to battle?

Excadrill grunted, and awaited its next command. Ash quickly shook his head clear, and floated awkwardly back up. "Iris! Knock it off!" He growled.

Mistaking the growl for a genuine threat, Iris retaliated. "Excadrill, fury swipes now, while he's still dazed!"

Moving with surprising speed, the large pokemon shot forward, and swung towards Ash. Ash quickly panicked, and swung his claw out of reflex. His claw began to glow blue, and his claws shot past the incoming attack, and promptly smacked the Excadrill in the head instead, knocking it several feet back, where it landed in a heap. It sat there for a moment, concussed, before leaping to its feet and roared in anger.

"Excadrill! Quick, use Hyper Beam!"

Ash felt his eyes go wide as he watched Excadrill power up the powerful attack. He couldn't help but panic, and did the absolute first thing that came to mind when stuck with something he couldn't just fight.

Grab Pikachu, and run.

He quickly shot over to his baffled starter, and before Pikachu could react, he scooped him up and shot into the sky, flying far faster then he intended.

"No! Pikachu!" Iris yelled, trying to run after them, but Excadrill's hyper beam hit where Ash previously sat, preventing her from doing anything. And, when the dust cleared, the large Blue legendary was gone.

"PIKACHU!"

* * *

Ash winced in pain as he heard his starter scream straight into his ear. He didn't need Pikachu's screaming to know that he was going fast. Way too fast. He quickly shut down all his energy from his wings, and immediately felt himself slow down, gravity stopping all his upward and forward momentum, before curiously floating for a second.

And, immediately after, gravity took what was its to begin with. The two of them immediately shot back down, and Pikachu let loose another scream. "Go back up! GOBACKUP!"

Ash couldn't help but scream too, tightly clutching his terrified starter. Ash winced as the noise from his and Pikachu's screams, along with the roaring wind, ripped past his ears, and the two fell chaotically for several terror filled seconds, limbs flailing uselessly. Ash watched as the scenery whizzed discordantly before his eyes, and saw his life flash before his eyes.

'Wow, I haven't really lived long' was the first thought that appeared. But, before he could continue his fall, Pikachu's tail smacked him in the head, bringing him to his senses. He immediately felt the urge to try moving forward, if only to regain command of his descent. Trusting his gut, he quickly pushed forward, and immediately lost his tailspin. But now, he found himself speeding straight towards the ground much faster.

Ash panicked again, and tried his best to go anywhere but down. He quickly pulled up, and felt all of his blood and guts pool into the bottom of him harshly, and found himself making a very sharp upward turn. His arms and body turned to lead, and Pikachu almost slipped out of his arms, the mouse seemingly gaining several hundred pounds. He gripped him harder, and continued pulling up. After a few more terse seconds, they finally pulled towards the sky, all his downward momentum finally dissipating. They were now coasting.

The newly christened legendary slowly let loose the breath he was holding, and, before he could stop himself, began to laugh hysterically. Pikachu took a bit longer to catch his breath, but when he did, he immediately looked up to ash and gave him a withering glare. "What in the distortion world was that?!"

Ash laughed a bit more, but calmed down quickly. "Me trying not to die." Pikachu huffed grumpily, and shook his head. "Idiot. Not only are you somehow even more of an idiot as a pokemon, but you can't fly either."

Ash raised an eyebrow, and frowned unhappily. "What do you mean?"

Pikachu sighed, and shook his head. "I mean, what was that with Iris? Did you want her to attack you?"

Ash raised his eyebrow further.

"She finds you in the middle of our camp, with half of it destroyed, and you, covered in the shreds of your sleeping bag and clothes. Then, when she asks you what happened, you bare your big ol' dragon fangs, raise your claws up, and_ growl_."

"I did not growl!"

"Yes, you did! Even I thought for a second that you were gonna attack her. I know what you said, but the tone was that of a growl. You need to realize, you're a big, mostly carnivorous dragon now. Every low, "Calm" tone of voice that would've worked for a human will now sound like a growl to others, especially those who can't understand pokemon, and every intense stare is a search for a weakness. Most humans and pokemon will see you as a predator, and will treat you as such. You need to be careful."

Ash sighed unhappily. Another thing that changed everything he knew about his life. Pikachu looked up to him sadly. "We'll get you changed back, you know that right?"

Ash stared at him, before nodding uncertainly. Things always turned out alright, in the end. This was just another adventure... even if, this time, he had no idea what he was trying to fix or save. Pikachu patted his neck, and looked around. "So, we need to go back to camp. If you let me do the talking, we can explain to Iris and Cilan that you've been changed into a Latios."

The dragon nodded, and looked around a moment, before smiling nervously. "Pikachu?"

"Yes?"

"You know what the worst part of getting back will be?" Ash continued, his nervous expression never leaving.

Pikachu shrugged. "The fact that Iris may try to either kill you or catch you as her own?"

The Latios shook his head. "No..."

"Then what is it?"

Ash pointed awkwardly downward.

Pikachu huffed, and looked down, and noticed the problem. There was nothing but an endless sea of green. "Any clue where camp is?"

* * *

Iris quickly stumbled out of the camp, with Excadrill following protectively behind her. Her mind was overloaded. A dragon ate Ash. And then, stole Pikachu. Probably already ate him too. She always knew that pokemon, dragons especially, were dangerous. Heck, the biggest warning for any dragon trainer was to never enter a dragon's territory without sufficient protection, simply because they would hunt you like anything else that entered their territory.

Possibly moreso, because humans were not only weak compared to most, but also carried several more pokemon with them. They were a moving smorgasbord.

But why was the reality of that fact so much more haunting?

She knew it could happen, so why was she so surprised?

'Oh yeah, because this isn't supposed to be a dragon's territory, that's why.' Her thoughts bitterly added. There was a very good reason why Dragon trainers kept tabs on Dragon types. Iris felt tears well up, but she pushed them back. Ash's death was all her fault. She was the dragon master. And she left him alone, asleep, in the middle of some dragon's hunting grounds, possibly even one she could've known about. And for what? Some stupid firewood and berries. Axew popped its head out of her hair, and crawled down into her arms. She quickly picked it up, and squeezed it tightly, feeling a shuddering sob come loose. And another. And another, until she couldn't stop herself, and simply wept into the top of Axew's head.

As she sat there, crying, a twig snapped behind her. She felt her dread rise, and a thought came to mind. 'It was back.'

Iris sat there, frozen for a moment, before a spark of rage came forth. She wasn't going to just let the Dragon get away with this. An eye for an eye. She furiously clenched her fists, and pulled out another pokeball. "Dragonite!" The large dragon released, and landed heavily on the ground. It gave a look around, but a grunt from Excadrill notified it of their situation, and it instead looked seriously forward. Iris took a single breath, and released it as a angry growl, and glared in the direction of the now rustling bushes. She felt some panic return, but her rage easily burned it down. She would end this dragon. For Ash. Heck, for herself.

The bushes rustled a bit, and everyone tensed. This was it. The bushes quickly parted, and... Cilan emerged. "So, I got the berr-"

He looked up to see Excadrill and Dragonite glaring furiously at him, and he stopped talking. Excadrill and Dragonite out? And actually doing something? He was shocked. He was even more shocked, however, when Iris rushed forward, and grabbed onto him, and began to cry hysterically. Cilan sat there, in confusion, when he noticed something. There were several trees that were knocked down, and a crater. And there was someone missing. "Iris, where is Ash?"

Iris just began to cry harder, and clung to him. He gently wrapped his arms around her, and held her. "What happened?"

* * *

"Ash! Slow down, I think I see a town or something."

Ash grumbled unhappily as he did so, and slowed down to a crawl. He had found that he liked flying around. It was... calming. Relaxing. Almost felt natural. "What, where?"

Pikachu pinched his brow. It was clearly too much to ask for becoming a legendary to make him more observant. He wearily pointed to his left. "Over there! Use your dragon eyes or something. You saw that Oran berry patch easily enough."

Ash sighed. He was hungry then. And he smelt the berries. He didn't ever see them. But he did as he was told, and wearily looked where his starter pointed. The town... was actually screamingly obvious. Oops. "Oh! I see it!"

Pikachu nodded, and gave Ash a mischievous smirk, before mockingly patting his head. "There is hope for you yet! Maybe we can get a map or something there." Ash simply nodded, and he made a banking turn towards the town. Pikachu shifted a bit, and looked up to Ash. Ash just had to become a legendary pokemon. Not a Pikachu like last time. That made this much more complicated. "Ok Ash, when we get there, I want you to land outside the outskirts. We don't need to have every trainer in the town trying to catch you. And unless you figured out that invisibility thing in the last ten seconds, you're just too big a target."

Ash blinked, before nodding sadly. Sure, flying was nice, but he'd like to be able to go into town. "But..."

"No buts! You're not some little local pokemon that everyone will ignore. You're a dragon, and a very rare one at that. You'll stay, and I'll find us a map."

The male human turned dragon sighed, before nodding. He hated when Pikachu was right. "Fine... but hurry up."

Pikachu nodded, and the two of them quickly landed outside the town outskirts in a nice patch of trees, and Pikachu immediately jumped out of his arms. "I'll be right back! Stay right here!"

Ash nodded grumpily, and waited patiently for a few minutes, before his limited fortitude ran out, and he quickly found his mind wandering. His thoughts almost immediately drifted to home. 'How am I gonna explain this to mom? If Iris thought I was a dangerous dragon, how would mom react?'

Ash figured it would involve a frying pan, aimed at his head. 'I hope my skull's at least thicker.'

He pondered some more, and flopped onto his back, before speaking aloud. "I wonder why I got transformed... It better be important."

The Latios sighed, before a sudden realization appeared. "Oh no! I'm gonna miss my Gym battle!"

The dragon growled angrily, and flopped on his back. 'I can't go into town, talk with anyone, I can't see the rest of my pokemon, because they're with Iris in my backpack, and now, I'm gonna miss my gym battle! Could this get any worse?'

Ash quickly shot back up, and let loose a large roar, and felt his temper peak. 'If I get my hands on whoever did this, I'll-' He growled angrily, before swinging toward the nearest tree with his claws, leaving a large gouge in it. He found himself feeling a bit better, and swung at it again, and a third time. He hit it once more, and the small tree cracked, and fell over, landing right on top of the young dragon's head. Ash yelped, and was forced to the ground, and he sat there dazed for a moment, before angrily pushing on the tree, sending it flying off him.

He quickly rose back up, giving the offending tree a withering glare, before turning to the next tree, and punching it. The tree angrily shook, but, beyond a dent, not much else happened. Ash felt a pang of irritation, and he quickly swung his claws back at it. But, unlike last time, his claw lit up, and it cleanly cut the tree in two.

But just like the last tree, it fell on the young Lati, and he found himself pinned under a considerably bigger log. He tried to squirm out, but he found himself very successfully pinned.

"...Figures."

* * *

Pikachu found himself sneaking through the somewhat empty streets of the town he knew absolutely nothing about, and, if he was honest with himself, it made him feel nostalgic. He sighed at the welcome feeling, and quickly hid underneath a street car to hide from a passing pair of humans, and smiled. While he was a trainer's pokemon at heart, he was born and raised a literal street rat. And, if this excursion proved anything, it showed that he still had the skills needed to sneak through a town. It was a very useful skill. He silently slipped away from his previous hiding spot, and fell in line behind a lady, following closely, acting as if he was her pokemon.

He watched uninterested eyes pass over him, and he followed the lady to her destination, a poke-mart. He ducked away from her when she passed an alley, and looked down the street, where he saw his target. A pokemon center, and more importantly, the sole place he knew of that sold Traveler's kits. Brock always got one when they went to a new region, and they always had a map, and a few other essentials. They also normally cost money, but, to be honest, that wasn't an option at this point. He's just need to use the two pawed discount.

He crossed the street quietly, and, after waiting for someone to exit, went through the door. He quickly and silently made his way up to the nurse's desk, and found what he was looking for.

A rack of Traveling kits.

...Under the watchful eye of a Chansey. Pikachu growled quietly in frustration. He knew that some trainers would have their pokemon steal items, and, ironically, that was what he needed to do. He thought for a moment, and decided he'd need a distraction. He thought for a moment, and winced. He knew what he had to do, and, after a short moment of contemplation, he knew just how to do it.

He swept past the desk, and quickly snuck to the nearby maintenance room, and stared at the electronic lock.

"Sorry..." He mumbled under his breath, and quickly sent a small jolt of electricity into the lock. A couple seconds and the smell of burning silicon later, He heard a faint click, and he pushed the door. He peeked his head in, and saw it to be empty. He quickly bolted in, and clambered onto a shelf. Now, where was the fuse-box?

It took him a couple seconds, before finding it ironically right above his head. It only took him a second to swing it's door open, and find the fuse labeled 'Lobby'. He hoped it only turned off the lobby. He really did.

He gave himself a second in prayer, and yanked it.

Pikachu felt a quick jolt of electricity shoot through him, and saw as the lights from the main room went out. He immediately shot out of the room, and heard as the Chancey make an exclamation of surprise. The poke-nurse would be there any second to turn the lights back on. He snuck right past the Chancey, and plucked up a traveler's kit. "Gotcha."

Pikachu quickly ran to the door, and found he made a mistake. The doors were automatic. He tried to push the doors apart, but found that they had autolocks. Figures. The electric type grimaced, and after a moment of contemplation, simply smacked the glass door with an iron tail, shattering it. He quickly jumped through the newly made hole, and immediately ran off with his prize.

He found himself running down the street, and quickly ducked down into an alley. He found that it was the right choice, as, almost immediately after, a pair of trainers ran by. After waiting a moment, Pikachu made his way back out of town. Ash needed him.

Pikachu quickly made his way out of town, and, after a few moments of awkwardly running, due to the large tube he carried, he wandered back into the forest, and called out. "Ash?" Pikachu shouted. The electric starter wandered into the clearing he left his trainer in, and quickly noticed the area filled with several fallen trees. He dropped the tube, and quickly rushed forward, but, before he could panic, he found the dragon pinned under a fallen tree.

Pikachu sighed with relief, and Ash looked up at his starter, looking rather embarrassed. Pikachu blinked, and, for a moment, the two sat in silence.

"So... Why are you under a tree?"

Ash blushed lightly, and frowned. "... Practice."

The electric type held back a laugh, and shook his head. "Why would you need practice on being under a tree?"

Ash growled a bit, and the electric type felt a pang of fear, which he quickly suppressed. Ash would never hurt him. "So, you wanna get out from under that? Or is it comfy down there?"

Ash sighed, and nodded. "Yeah... I'd like to... but... I'm stuck."

The electric type held back more laughter, and nodded. He backed up, and gave a light iron tail to the log, easily lifting it off of Ash. He then span around, and smacked it away. "There ya go."

Ash blinked, before sitting up, and the electric type sat down beside him and sighed happily. Ash seemed to have a lot on his mind, Pikachu noted, but, to be honest, who wouldn't? The boy was a human, not a pokemon. Being changed from something you were born as, into something he wasn't would drive Pikachu mad. Pikachu was sure the only reason Ash was doing as good as he was because he had changed into a Pikachu before. His past experience, no matter how short, allowed him to cope a bit better with being in a new body. So, he let Ash sit in silence for a moment, before nudging the map towards him. "Got what we needed." Was all he offered. Ash nodded slightly, and sighed.

After another moment, Pikachu nudged Ash with his tail. "Hey, cheer up. We'll get you to Iris and Cilan again, and then, we'll find a way to change you back. Alright?"

Ash nodded, and let loose another sigh. Pikachu wouldn't have it. "Aw, come on, cheer up. You'll get changed back. Just enjoy being a super powerful legendary for the time being. After all, did you really know how hard Excadrill hit you? That woulda knocked me through a loop, and all it did was move you fifteen feet or so."

Ash smiled a little. "Really?"

Pikachu nodded, wearing a grin. "Yeah! I mean, did you see Iris' face after you got back up? She looked like she was gonna wet herself! And when you hit Excadrill with a Dragon claw, she looked like she was gonna bolt!"

Ash laughed a little. "So that's what I did. I was kinda wondering what I used. And stop, you're making me feel bad. I scared her so much!"

Pikachu rolled his eyes. "Yeah you did. You're a big, scary dragon now, scaring dragon masters and stuff. Not bad, I'd say, especially for a 'little kid'."

Ash smiled, and sat back up. "Iris is gonna kill me when we explain this to her."

Pikachu nodded, and sighed happily. "Yeah... Well, the faster we get to them, the faster I can plan your funeral." Pikachu quickly sat up, and nudged the Traveler's kit towards him. "Alright, let's open 'er up!"

Ash nodded, and grabbed the tube. He tried to twist it, and... failed. "I got it!" Was his quick reply, and he tried again. His claws found no purchase, and just left light scratches on the plastic. He growled, and tried a third time, with the same results. "Uh, Ash? Need a little help?" Pikachu teased.

"Nuh uh!" Was Ash's only reply. He quickly picked up the tube, and began trying to open it with his teeth. "What is this? Dragon-proof?"

Pikachu chuckled a bit, and gestured for Ash to hand it to him. Ash grumbled, but handed it to him anyway. "Alright, genius. You open it u-"

*Click*

Pikachu laughed, and poured the tube's contents onto the ground in front of him. "Success!"

Ash grumbled unhappily, mumbling something about stupid tubes, but quickly got over it, joining Pikachu in excitedly looking over the contents. A map, obviously, and many other small trinkets. "Hey Ash, what's this?"

Ash dropped the guide to the restaurants of Unova, and looked over to Pikachu, holding a small metal tablet with a circular window in the center. "That's a compass."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow. "What the heck's a compass?"

Ash laughed, and shook his head. "A compass tells you which way is north, and stuff." Ash's starter quickly got bored, and threw the small device over his shoulder, and looked over to the map. He quickly picked it up, and handed it over to Ash. "Alright. Here."

Ash stared at it for a second, before looking back to Pikachu. "What am I gonna do with this?"

Pikachu stared at him for a second in disbelief, before raising his eyebrow. "I don't know, read it maybe?"

Ash looked mareepish, and glanced from Pikachu, to the map, and let loose a nervous chuckle. "Oh, Ummm... I don't... er, well... Know how to use a map."

Pikachu stared for a moment, before feeling an eye twitch. "You don't know how to read maps."

Ash nodded mareepishly, blushing slightly. "I never had anyone to teach me... so..."

Pikachu frowned. "Well, I don't know, what about Brock? You know, our guide since, well, forever?"

Ash blushed more, but said nothing. Pikachu simply huffed, and unrolled the map. "Well, luckily for you, I found out which town we're at, so..."

Pikachu pointed at the map. "We're in a small town south of Opelucid city," Pikachu said, pointing to the map. "And we left Opelucid city 3 days ago, so, we just need to get to beat Iris and Cilan to Lacunosa. So..."

The starter looked up to the sky. "We need to go... That direction. We'll now we're going the right way when we hit water, the map says we gotta pass over a bit of the ocean."

Ash nodded, and looked up. "Wait, I thought the sun set in the west, not the east... So, wouldn't that mean it was in the opposite direction?"

Pikachu smiled, and patted Ash on the head condescendingly. "Ash... the sun sets in the southeast. Everyone knows that..."

Ash thought for a moment, before deciding it was easier to simply agree. "Yeah, I was just, uh, testing you."

The electric type nodded sagely, and smiled. "I won't hold it against you. Now, let's be off!"

Pikachu quickly jumped on Ash's back, and the pair took off.

* * *

"How much ocean did the map say we had to cross?" Ash shouted over the heavy wind and rain. The two of them had been flying through a storm for the last two hours, and Ash's strength was waning.

Pikachu winced, and shouted back. "I don't know, the map just shown that ocean was between us, and them."

The young Dragon sighed, and wiped his face free from water. "But it's been, like six hours!"

"Well, if you spot somewhere to land, be my guest!" Ash gave a huff, and wiped his face again. He squinted, and found himself seeing something that suspiciously looked like a lighthouse. "Wait... I think I see something!"

Pikachu smiled, regardless of the fact that he was soaked. "I told you so! Now, let's find someplace to land, it's probably the middle of the night already."

Ash nodded, and the two of them made landfall. The two of them quickly found themselves in the middle of a forest, and came up to a Cliff side. "Hey Pikachu, will a cave work?"

Pikachu shrugged. "As long as it's empty, sure."

Ash landed them inside, and quickly shook himself reflexively, sending water everywhere. He then instinctively fluffed his feathers out, and moved over to the nearest wall. "Arceus, I'm tired."

Pikachu shook himself as well and quietly curled up beside him. "Yeah. Me too." He added, letting loose a yawn.

The two quickly snuggled up to each other, and almost immediately found themselves asleep.

* * *

**A/N So, Here's the newest chapter. I've went over it thrice, and something just doesn't feel right. If any of you could find out what it is, I'd be eternally grateful. I got the plot/foreshadowing/ironic echo/everything it needs, but something just isn't right. **

**Ah, oh well. I hoped you liked it! If you'd like please review. Any criticism is welcome, be it silly, satirical, or serious. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Beaches are sandy, and fish are crap

**A/N So, here's the new chapter. This one was supposed to be shorter, seeing at it was gonna be filler, but I just couldn't help myself. I hope I didn't accidentally screw up my previous balancing I was making. Oh well, Onto the chapter!**

**A mighty thanks to my favorite Breakfast item and Beta, Syrup-Waffle!**

**Updated on September 4th!**

* * *

Pikachu had never been a morning person. If it were up to him, he'd sleep until noon, or until his stomach made enough fuss to wake him. However, not even he could manage to sleep through the sun. He wasn't Ash.

Light, following its true nature, made its way slowly into the cave, and quickly found itself a home in the yellow pokemon's eyes. While Ash may have been able to sleep through the sun's unending onslaught, Pikachu certainly couldn't, and he was forcibly drug from his peaceful, if somewhat short, rest. The electric mouse winced, and, after a moment of resistance, simply gave up, and gave a large yawn of surrender instead.

The electric type didn't even put any thought into the large, blue arm that held him, and instead stretched deeply, leaning as forward as his back would allow, eventually earning himself a satisfying *pop*.

He then smacked his dry lips, and slowly flopped onto his back, and it was then that he finally gave notice to the cave's rather droll ceiling.

That was certainly new.

He quickly felt all remnants of drowsiness leave his mind, and, against his body's wishes, forced himself to quickly sit up and quickly looked around. He was in a cave. When did he get inside a cave? He searched his mind, and a faint memory of finding this cave in the middle of a storm came to mind.

Oh yeah. They were trying to get to Lacunosa. That, and Ash was now a Latios. Just another wednesday morning. Admittedly, they were lucky to find a cave to sleep in during that storm. Pikachu couldn't help but thank his, and, much more likely, Ash's amazing luck, and looked over to his best friend-now-turned-Latios. His eyes immediately met the sleeping latios' snoring face, seeing as the dragon took up three quarters of the small cave, and the starter felt another pang of fear. He couldn't help but feel an immediate sense of irritation afterward, and he grumpily released a sigh.

He consciously knew his best friend would never hurt him. His instincts, however, did not.

And, admittedly, half of his trainer's pokemon were predators of all shapes and sizes, and every time Ash had caught them, the electric starter went through the same instinctual urges of fear and repulsion. He was quite used to it, and he could easily hide his fear well enough at this point that even most psychic types couldn't tell at first glance, and even then, he had it under wraps enough that they couldn't use it to their advantage.

Plus, he already knew how to work it out as well, making this problem less of a practical one, and more of a personal one. However, the thing that bothered him wasn't the fear, or the urge to flee, but the one he feared. He never felt this way about his best friend. Scared he would do something stupid, or make a mistake that would end up biting their tails, maybe. But never had he been afraid of Ash. Even at the beginning, all he really feared was that his trainer truly was that stupid. But a genuine, gut wrenching fear of his trainer himself? That part was new. And he hated it.

Pikachu shook his head unhappily, and forced himself to calm down. Ash, of all beings, would be the last one to intentionally hurt him. It was a rule of the universe, grass grows, birds fly, and Ash? He didn't hurt people. He sighed as he quietly walked over to his trainer, and, after a moment, forced himself to snuggle up to him, immediately feeling his fur bristle. Ash would have to deal with an extra clingy starter for a couple weeks, but it would get him over his fear. If it worked for Charizard, who would actually attack you if you tried to touch him, let alone cuddle him, it would easily work for his best friend, who had trouble sleeping without someone cuddling up beside him.

Pikachu forcibly snuggled further into the dragon's feathers, and, after a moment, found himself suddenly grabbed by the dragon's arms, and was instantly pulled close. The small mouse, through reflex, let loose a small jolt, but Ash, with his newfound resistance to electricity, didn't seem to notice. The dragon simply pulled him even closer, and he found himself face to face with a large mouth.

*Yawn*

The electric mouse felt the hot breath on his nose, and immediately gagged. He felt tears welling up in his eyes, and, in a desperate attempt, jolted the sleeping dragon with a good sized amount of electricity. The dragon quickly jumped and twitched, and the small starter rolled out of his arms, still holding his nose desperately. "Gwa! Dragon Breath!"

The poor electric type rubbed vehemently at his nose, moaning and rolling back and forth as the insides of his nose felt as if they burned away. Ash quickly gained full consciousness, and, after a moment, watched this act with a sick mix of extreme amusement and shame. "Heh heh... Sor*Snort*Sorry."

Pikachu, quickly recovering from being gassed, jumped back up and glared venomously. "Watch where you point that thing!"

Ash, still slightly somewhat groggy from his sleep, couldn't help but burst out laughing the instant he got a decent look at Pikachu. The electric type couldn't help but continue scowling, and his glare grew more poisonous.

Ash took several deep breaths, and forced himself to calm down. But, as he looked back over to Pikachu, he devolved into another set of giggles. It took him several more moments before he could calm himself. "Aww, come on. Don't get all angry."

The mouse huffed, and looked away grumpily. Pikachu normally wouldn't hold it against Ash, but right now, he didn't feel very charitable. He was resolute in ignoring his foul-breathed trainer.

"Aw, come on, Pikachu. Please?"

The starter, using all of his collective willpower, continued to ignore him.

The blue Dragon winced. He quickly puffed out his lip, and gave Pikachu a stare with a big set of Growlithe eyes. "I'm sorry..."

Pikachu stared at Ash for a second, before internally wincing. He looked horrifyingly adorable. Why did Dragons seem to have the best begging faces? The electric type felt his resolve falter, and he forced himself to quickly flick his trainer on the nose, just to save face. The fact that Ash actually won that one would be taken with him to his grave. "Alright, fine. But rinse your mouth out or something. It's almost as bad as usual."

Ash had the grace to look slightly offended at the insult, but nodded in agreement anyway, and decided to go for that suggestion right away. He pulsed a bit of energy into his wings, and, sure enough, clumsily hovered into the air. "You know... I think I'm getting the hang of this."

The electric type simply shrugged. Ash pushed himself slightly forward, and made his way slowly towards the cave entrance. "Yeah, this is a lot easi-"

Ash was cut off when his wing caught onto the cave wall, forcing Ash's face into the wall as well. Pikachu couldn't help but smirk in amusement, and snorted when Ash backed away from the wall, rubbing his face. "...Never mind." Ash slowly continued towards the exit, and, after a moment, managed to clear it. Ash immediately got a face full of sunlight, and winced. The sun was really bright today. After a short moment, however, he found his vision return, and he got the chance to look around. He was at a beach, and could see the sun rising over the horizon. There wasn't many trees either, giving him what would normally be a once in a lifetime view, had he not been so well traveled. Looking to his left, he saw that the land was that of a tropical area, much like the rest of what he'd seen so far, with most trees being of the palm variety.

He didn't know what he expected.

He went in that direction, knowing that salt water wouldn't do him any good, and decided to try out his new nose a bit. If Pikachu could find clean water with his nose, so could he. Hopefully. Taking an experimental sniff, he found that, true enough, he did smell something that he hoped was fresh water. He followed the scent, and after a few moments of following his nose, found a small freshwater stream nearby.

He stared at it for a moment, trying to think of some way to drink, before decided to try how all other pokemon drank. He quickly stuck his face to it and clumsily lapped at some water, before immediately gagging. It was extremely bitter. "Blah! That's nasty!" Ash spat, before rubbing his tongue desperately. His tongue easily elongated, and he quickly found that it was much longer than he expected, and he sighed. He quickly felt a pang of irritation, "Great. The water's nasty, and my tongue's a foot long. Anything else?"

His stomach quickly growled in response, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes in amusement. "Of course you'd complain." He quickly sighed in irritation before turning around and going back to the cave. The trip was short, and he quickly came across the small opening. "Ok... So, Pikachu, what are we gonna do?"

His partner quickly scampered out of the cave, and, upon seeing ash, gave a noncommittal shrug. He would be the first to admit that he wasn't really one for tropics, and his survival experience only taught him how to survive in a more... frigid climate. Besides, they still hadn't made it to Lacunosa. That was their current, and, admittedly, only objective. "Well..." Pikachu spoke, thinking his words over carefully. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

Ash immediately smiled. Food, of course, sounded good. Food always sounded good. "Sure!"

Pikachu smiled. The odd pair ventured from their small cave, and the two of them quickly made their way to the beach. Upon arrival, Pikachu stopped, and looked around, before spotting his prey. "So... you ever fished before?"

The ex-human shrugged. "Umm... Sure? I mean, we did fish with misty and-"

*BZZZZZZZT*

The Lati jumped as Pikachu quickly sent a thundershock into the water, and watched in surprise as tens of thousands of volts of electricity poured into the nearby ocean. Quickly, a small Magikarp floated to the surface, flailing weakly. The electric type quickly pointed, and Ash, picking up the cue, flew out, and pulled it to shore.

Ash held the weakly floundering fish by the tail, and stared at Pikachu. "Well, now what?"

Pikachu stared for a second, before addressing him as if speaking to a two year old. "Well, you wanna kill it, or are you just gonna sit there and let it suffocate?"

The newly found legendary looked to the fish, and back to his partner, before shrugging. He raised the fish over his head, and smacked it off of the soft sand. It had little effect.

The electric mouse looked annoyed. "I thought you said you knew what you're doing!"

Ash felt as the fish gave a angry lurch, and he quickly grabbed it with both sets of claws. Apparently, the strike against the sand replenished the fish's energy and will to live, and now, it wasn't about to give in without a fight. "I did! I'm just doing what I saw misty do!"

Pikachu stared in complete incredulity. "She hit it off a rock, Not the sand!"

The youth grimaced, and struggled to hold the squirming pokemon as he quickly moved over to a nearby boulder. But, before he could swing it, the Magikarp gave one last shake, and freed itself from Ash's claws at the last second. His claws hit the rock painfully instead. "OW!"

Ash quickly shook his claws in pain, all while the water pokemon desperately flopped towards the ocean. It almost made it, but was stopped by a electric type standing in its way. "Where do you think you're going?"

The fish, to its credit, was undeterred. It continued its mindless flopping, and, with an extra-strong flop, promptly met Pikachu's unsuspecting face.

Pikachu's head flinched back, and, after a short moment to recover from his unsuspected blow, he quickly turned around, and chased after the fish. "Get back here!"

The blue dragon having recovered, quickly followed his starter. The two of them both grabbed onto the Magikarp, and held it down. Pikachu felt his anger rise, and he glared down at the small fish. "I've had enough! Taste thunder!"

And then, the world turned white.

* * *

Ash burped a bit, and popped another berry into his mouth. "Come on, cheer up, Pikachu. If that Magikarp didn't evolve, we wouldn't have found these berries."

The electric type sighed, and gave a morose nod, chewing on some fruit. "I can't even fry a fish. What kind of electric type am I?"

The young legendary patted the mouse on the shoulder, and shrugged. "Well, one that beat a Regice and tied with a Latios on a one on one. One that wasn't me, anyway. I don't count for much."

Smiling weakly, Pikachu nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's right..." He did have some impressive accolades behind his name. But, so did Ash.

He smiled in return, and gently nudged him. "Yep, you're awesome. Just having a bad day. Heck, we both are. Anyway! What are we gonna do now? We still need to get to Lacunosa."

The electric pokemon popped one last berry into his mouth, and swallowed. "Well," He began, chewing, "there was a lighthouse on the shore. And where there is a lighthouse, there's a town, or a port, or, heck, at least an Electric pokemon. And frankly, we could use any of those at this point."

Ash shrugged, and munched on another berry. There was a massive grove of the things, so the blue legendary felt obliged to eat as many as he could. Plus, they were delicious, and delicious things just begged to be eaten. "So, to the lighthouse?"

Pikachu agreed. "To the lighthouse."

The Psychic dragon swallowed another mouthful, and grabbed three more Mago berries. He never had Mago berries in any quantity before, and he found himself having a liking for the soft, curly fruit. "Alright then!" He patted his now full belly with his free claw, and lowered himself for his rider. His starter hopped on, and the pair took off towards the beach.

As the pair moved towards the Lighthouse, Ash glanced back to his starter. "So, when we get there, what are we gonna look for first? The pokemon?"

Pikachu thought quietly, before nodding. "Yeah, I can reason pretty well with electric types. I hope it's an Ampharos or a Jolteon, they're usually the calmest and nicest of the heavy voltage types."

The young Lati smiled, excited to meet a new pokemon, and the pair quickly landed on the nearby beach. The two looked around, and Ash just shook his head. "Man, we really did a number on this place." He commented, looking around the pockmarked landscape.

His friend simply shrugged, and looked towards the lighthouse. "The Gyarados did the damage. We just, er, summoned it."

The two of them continued onto the lighthouse, and found the door. "So, Just... don't talk unless spoken to. Some electric types can be, erm... jumpy with other Pokemon. I'd hate to have a fight because you accidentally spoke in the wrong tone, or if he just doesn't like your face or something."

Ash scratched his head. "And why does this matter now that I'm a pokemon?"

"Because, now that you're a pokemon, you should know better." Pikachu replied, awkwardly scratching his head.

The dragon continued to look confused. "So, how does that work?"

The starter just sighed, and shook his head. "Pokemon are pokemon, Humans and humans. Pokemon are fair game, but humans get priority status, kinda, and starting a fight with a human is really stupid. After all, I'd fry anyone who'd try to hurt you. Same goes with almost every other trainer's Pokemon. A fight's a fight. But, protecting a trainer is life or death. And no one wants to risk getting killed because a really stupid misunderstanding over the tone of someone's voice."

Pikachu then turned, and knocked on the door. A moment later, The door slowly opened, and a large yellow Ampharos looked out. "Hello? We weren't expecting the next shipment for..."

The Ampharos got a look at Ash, and blinked in confusion, before smiling. "Well, I'd be. I haven't seen one of your kind for a loooong time."

Pikachu looked to the pokemon, and back to his best friend. "Erm, sorry to bother you, but we needed some... directions."

The electric sheep evolution nodded, and looked down to the fellow electric type. "I can see that. I haven't seen a latios for over thirty years. It makes me nostalgic, just thinkin' about it. Come in, Come in. I'd Love to help." The Ampharos stepped forward, and grasped Pikachu's paw. "Name's Ampy. Not the most creative name, I know, but it works. My human's asleep, so, make yourselves comfortable. I got some fresh Oran berries, if ya like."

Ash's head bobbed up and down excitedly, and he entered the open door, carefully avoiding hitting anything hanging off the walls with his oversized wings. Pikachu hesitantly followed, and the two were lead to an open room.

The pair looked around, and saw a plethora of pictures, paintings, and other assorted knickknacks. Ash quickly floated over to one that had a somewhat faded looking Latias in it.

"That was old Marinthe. She was round a 'undred old thirty years ago. Last I heard, she had a great great grandkid. She probably died from old age by now."

The older Ampharos shook his head, and spoke again. "Anyway, enough of the past. You said you needed directions? Where are ya goin'?" The Ampharos picked up a bowl of berries, and walked over to Pikachu. "We don't entertain often, so it's always a treat. We can always go down to the village, but that's hardly any better for meeting some new people."

The starter nodded, and took the offered Berry, looking around. "Well... We need to get to Lacunosa city. Do you know where that is?"

The Ampharos thought for a moment, before shrugging. "Well... I know not of a Lacanosey city, but there is a large city at the end of this chain of islands. I can't remember what it's called, but that might be where you're lookin' for. It's the only city near here, after all."

Pikachu gave the fellow electric type a smile, and thanked Ampy. "That's gotta be it. Thanks!"

"No problem. But... I have a request to make... I feel awkward and all, havin' to ask ya right after meetin' you all, but there is very few pokemon around who could use it, well, I mean, I'm getting ahead of myself. Could ya, erm, test something for me?"

Ash jumped up quickly, his sense of adventure tingling, and he quickly attempted to volunteer. "Sure! We'd love-"

His starter cut him off with a glare. "Er, not to be rude, but that depends. What do we need to test?"

Ampharos looked Mareepish, but continued. "Of course, it'd be silly to just agree... well... my trainer has a hobby of, erm, making things. Recently, she thinks that there might be a way to make TMs last more than one use, so... I wanted to use one of you to test her most recent attempt."

The electric mouse raised an eyebrow. His gut wrenched a bit. "And why us?"

"Well, the only move she could make, Thunderbolt, was based offa mine, and, well, I already know it. And there are few electric types around, and all of them know it. Most of the other pokemon I don't know, or wouldn't trust knowin' tail whip, let alone a move like Thunderbolt. So, I was hopin' yer friend here could, well..."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow. "You know, TMs mess with your head. Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

Ampy waved his arms. "Nah, not at all! The most it could do would be it being used up, or, well, the machine exploding. It's just a rewired TM, so you'd be, er, well, safe. Ish."

Pikachu looked to Ash, and shrugged. His gut made another wretch. "Your choice, Ash. You'd be the one who'd explode. Plus, I know at this point, I couldn't stop you if I tried."

He also mumbled something that sounded like 'Hero complex' immediately afterward.

The dragon type, after a moment, shrugged. "Eh, I've been blown up before. Why not?"

Pikachu rolled his eyes, and Ampy beamed, and the elderly Ampharos ran upstairs with surprising vigor. A minute later, he returned, holding a small computer-like device, and a large tangle of wires. He awkwardly wobbled over to the Lati, obviously having troubles, and quickly sat it down on the first free space he found. "Okay! So, er, I'm just gonna put these on yer head, and turn this thing on, and, well, you'll know stuff. It's a weird feelin', but you'll get used to it."

Ash nodded nervously, and sat still. The electric pokemon put the wires on his head, and pressed a button on the machine. He then quickly wobbled over to the couch Pikachu was on, and hid behind it. "Alright! It's starting in three-"

*DING*

"Er, now." The Ampharos added lamely. He quickly waddled back over, and looked at the machine. "It worked! I think. Lati, Do you feel, er, any more knowledgeable?"

The electric mouse snorted, and looked over. "If Ash was more knowledgeable, he wouldn't be Ash. Hey, ya still got a brain?"

The blue Latios gave the two a blank look for a second, before shaking his head clear. After another moment's pause, he shrugged. "That was uneventful. I expected something to happen."

Ampy shrugged, and removed the wires. "What ya think would happen? A guitar solo afterward? Nah, these things are as boring as they get."

The Blue dragon smiled, and floated up off the ground he rested on. "Well, umm, thank you for the directions. And the TM. So, er, see ya?" He added awkwardly.

Ampy returned his smile with a grin, and nodded. He was clearly happy that the TM worked. "Any time, er, Ash was it? Any time."

The pair were escorted to the door, and, after a few goodbyes, the pair took back off into the sky.

* * *

"Do you see the next island?"

The Latios rolled his shoulders a little. He had been flying for a couple hours now, and island hopping, as Pikachu called it, was quite uneventful, aside from Ash's stunt flying. He did another barrel roll, and grinned at the angry sound exclamation Pikachu gave him. After finishing the stunt, the dragon looked forward, and spotted a small speck.

"I think so."

* * *

**A/N So, I have a question for you all. How would you prefer me updating? As often as possible? If I do that, the chapters will be sooner, but the quality will suffer, seeing as I don't have as long to work on it. Or, once a week/ Every two weeks? Pretty self explanatory, but, with that, I will be able to get away from the chapters a bit more, allowing me to be more subjective when I finish the final draft. Which would you guys prefer?**

**Either way, I hoped you liked the chapter. It was crap, but necessary crap. The fun bits are coming up soon, so I hope you all stick around!**


	5. Best friends

**A/N So, here's the newest chapter! Hope you enjoy it!**

**A mighty thanks to My Beta, Syrup-Waffle!**

**This chapter was updated on September 3rd, for reasons. **

* * *

Ash loved flying. It felt natural, amazing, and frankly, once he became human again, he'd truly miss it. However, seeing as he wouldn't be a Latios forever, he might as well make the most of it now.

He felt the urge to roll, and he did so immediately, his amusement growing as he felt Pikachu cling to him tighter. There truly was no better feeling than flying free through the air and the adrenaline rush he gained from it. Every wind gust, every bit of turbulence, every cloud skimmed was breathtaking, and every dive and aerial maneuver he made caused his heart to beat as if he was in a pokemon battle. Even all of his worries immediately left him when he flew. When he was in the air, all that was left was him, the sky, and Pikachu, asking him over and over to fly slower, or to do less rolls and flips, or to "stop skimming the water for Arceus' sake".

Simply bliss.

He was so caught up in flying that he almost didn't notice when Pikachu quickly tapped the side of his head, and pointed to a clearing on the island they have been repeatedly strafing. Somehow sensing a challenge, he couldn't help but grin, and angled himself down towards the island.

"No you don't..."

Ash simply grinned, and nodded, gaining a glare from his starter, before he rushed forward. He fainted noticed his starter's screams as he shot straight down, and felt the yellow pokemon dig his paws into his back when they neared the treeline. Ash watched as it got closer and closer, and, almost immediately before they hit the tops of the forest's trees, pulled up, and skimmed the taller tree tops with a claw, before pulling away. They were near a decent clearing, but a small voice in the back of his head registered that they were still going too fast. So, Ash did a nice tight loop, bleeding off a decent amount of speed, before coming out of the stunt, right into the clearing. He made a surprisingly smooth curve around the area to bleed off his remaining speed, but, it was more of a formality.

As he landed, he couldn't help himself, and he sighed contently as he came to a stop, letting the thrill of flight wash away. However, he was the only one happy, as the instant he stopped moving, his starter leapt off, and hugged the ground.

"I hate flying..." Was all the electric type offered when Ash looked down at him, and the young starter sat there for a moment, before giving a quick stretched, almost immediately popping his back, and, after a quick moment of contemplation, shook his fur to dry himself, sending a decent amount of water onto Ash. After he sufficiently dried himself, he glanced over and gave his trainer a heated glare. "Did you really have to fly through that cloud? The air's freezing up there!"

Ash decided to follow his starter's lead, and began to stretch. After a couple of seconds, he gave a half hearted shrug, and shook his head a little, removing a bit of water his starter covered him in. "It wasn't that bad! Besides, that cloud bank was huge, it was either go through it, or get lost. Again."

The starter, however, was supremely unconvinced. He knew how Ash worked, and this had Ash shenanigans written all over it. "Ash, it's not like that cloudbank snuck up on us. It was there all along. You could've easily got under it way before it actually shown up. You just wanted to see what it was like, flying through a cloud."

Simply rolling his eyes, Ash gave another apathetic shrug. Maybe he did want to know what the inside of a cloud felt like. A little. Maybe. And he did. It was wet. And, somehow, that still surprised him. "Anyway, we're at the island," Ash deflected, "And you said something about lunch. What's the plan?"

Pikachu sighed huffily, but quickly calmed himself. Ash normally was the one with the plan, even if they were normally very basic, but, today, it seemed as if Pikachu had to pick up the slack this time. He'd gladly do it, too. Ash saved his tail enough, and now, it was Pikachu's turn to do something beyond shock things and yell after Ash whenever he did something stupid and/or dangerous.

He'd never let him live it down though. When Ash was old and frail, Pikachu would suddenly bring this up, if only to embarrass him in front of his grandkids. If they could understand him, anyway. Humans were funny like that. Some could understand pokemon better then they understood humans, others were Misty, who squeezed a poor Togepi all day long, even when it wanted to walk. "Well, I thought we might as well get some food in town, and see how the people treat you. But, before that, let's see that thunderbolt."

Raising an eyebrow, Ash couldn't help but feel a small amount of panic. "Wait, what, we're just gonna go into town and hope for the best?"

The electric type nodded. It had to happen eventually and frankly, the present was always better then the future. Plus, Ash had the greatest luck he'd ever seen. It'd work out. "Might as well. It's one of the smallest towns I've seen that has a pokemon center. Besides, we gotta do it sometime. Might as well do it now."

The youthful Latios scratched the back of his head. "That doesn't sound like a good idea... I mean, what if a trainer tries to catch me?"

Pikachu smiled, and shook his head in amusement. Ash really did know nothing about being a Pokemon, didn't he? "I don't know, maybe fly? You are a legendary, after all, a normal pokemon is hard to catch in a normal pokeball without being weakened, let alone a legendary Dragon. I'm sure you'll be fine. Now, that thunderbolt?"

"But-"

"Thunderbolt!" The starter repeated, quickly changing the subject. "I need to see what we got, and, frankly, I know a thunderbolt. A dragonclaw? Maybe, but a Thunderbolt, that I can easily know how good it is."

Ash nodded hesitantly, and sighed. Pikachu wouldn't drop it, and while Ash was stubborn, Pikachu was even worse. "Fine..." He begrudgingly acquiesced, and he went through the steps he instantly learned to convert his psychic energy, something of which he barely knew how to use as it was, into electricity. He quickly felt the electricity form and his own psychic energy move to contain it, and he quickly pushed as much energy as he felt he could spare into making more. When he felt the electricity peak, he pushed it forward, and tried to use his energy to command it, but, instead of moving forward like it was supposed to do, it took a hard left. It almost instantly hit a large boulder, and a blindingly bright yellow flash occurred. Ash winced as a earthshaking boom resounded. When the dust and light all cleared, all there was a massive crater surrounded with molten rock. Pikachu stared for a moment, and blinked. "I, uh, wha..."

While Pikachu stuttered in astonishment, Ash found himself troubled. The move was supposed to shoot forward where he aimed it, and yet... it didn't. He quickly realized that, when attempting to control the attack, he didn't even know where to begin, let alone how to control it. The TM didn't really tell him much beyond making electricity. So much for human ingenuity.

Also, crap.

Pikachu continued staring blankly at the large, still somewhat molten crater, before finally gaining enough mental capacity to speak. "That was the most powerful electric attack I have ever seen."

He quickly shook his head, however, and immediately backpedaled. "Ok, not the most powerful attack, Zekrom made that look like a teeny little spark, but that was easily the most powerful normal Thunderbolt I've ever seen."

Ash blushed, and scratched the back of his head. How should he word this... Just blurting out that he couldn't control the attack at all wouldn't be good. He needed, what was the word? Oh yes, finesse. "Well, umm... Yeah." He said lamely.

He almost forgot, he couldn't do finesse. Again, crap.

Pikachu jumped up, and quickly got excited. He hadn't seen this much raw potential since that small Riolu the pair found in Sinnoh. "Try it again! Hit that tree!"

Ash winced at the excitement in Pikachu's voice, but nervously attempted the attack again, and the electricity quickly formed. Pushing as much energy as he could, he shot the supercharged thunderbolt forward, and, again, it immediately shot off course, hitting the nearest object, another rock. It immediately flash vaporized the rock, and exploded, leaving another large crater. Pikachu jumped in surprise, and looked over nervously to the new hole. "Umm, the tree was the other way, Ash."

The dragon blushed, and shook his head. "I can't." Pikachu looked confused for a second, not fully understanding the statement. He can't what? He couldn't hurt trees? "What do you mean?"

Ash shrugged. "I, um, can't control it." So much for not blurting it out, he chastised.

Pikachu raised an eyebrow in sheer bewilderment. "You can't control it? How can you not control it!? All it is is pointing it in the direction of what you wanna hit!"

Ash felt his ears flatten, and nervously scratched at the ground. "I don't know..."

Pikachu sat down, and rubbed his head in frustration. Of course it would end up like this. His gut told him no, but did he listen? "I knew that TM was gonna be trouble. This is why I didn't want to try the attack out in front of Ampharos. I thought we were just lucky he was all high off of his success that he forgot to try and test it out."

Pikachu grumpily kicked a rock, and sighed unhappily. "I knew I should've trusted my gut."

Ash looked embarrassed, and floated there awkwardly. "So, um, how do I learn how to control it?"

Pikachu shrugged. "I don't know. You're not a electric type, and don't have any obvious way to form electricity, let alone control it. The TM is supposed to teach you how, along with a way to aim the dang thing. You can't learn it naturally, so that's why TMs exist. To use some science mumbo-jumbo to teach you how to work around it with something that normally wouldn't, well, work. But now, you "know" it, but you don't."

The young trainer looked sheepish, and stared at the ground in sadness. He couldn't do anything right, lately. "Some help in battle I'll be..."

Pikachu watched as Ash fell back into his depressive slump, and felt a pang of anger. He quickly jumped up, and smacked him in the head with his tail, and growled. "Hey! Enough! I'm the one who grumbles and complains, and you're the one who's painfully, irritatingly optimistic, and if you're wanna keep whining, I'll give you a real thunderbolt to remind you how great life can be!"

Ash blinked. That was a paradoxical thought.

Pikachu quickly rubbed his temples again, and sighed. He really needed to find a way to keep his anger in check. "Sorry." The electric type offered. "But, not everything is battling, Ash. Sometimes, a single kind word can do more than a hundred expert battlers could in a year."

Ash sighed unhappily, and nodded. It really brought up some unpleasant thoughts, though. He was a Pokemon now, but... He had no idea how to be one. And who knows how long it'd be until he got changed back.

If he wasn't stuck this way forever. "It's ok, It just... I don't know, Pikachu. I'm a pokemon now, I can't talk to most of my friends, my Mom probably thinks I'm dead by now, and we have no clue what we're gonna do. It's stupid."

Pikachu slowly got closer, and, after a moment of thought, awkwardly patted the considerably larger dragon on the head. "Yeah... but you know I'll stick with you anyway, Ash. I'll stick with you whether you're a pokemon master or a dud of a Latios. We're partners, remember?"

He quietly sat down beside his trainer, and leaned into his neck. He needed to find a way to cheer Ash up. "Well, Look at it this way, if everything goes south, and we can't change you back, we could always find somewhere to live. I mean, pokemon live simple lives and all, but it's not all bad. We eat what we want; do what we want, etcetera. Heck, and, if you don't want to live alone with just me, we could go live with Pidgeot. I'm sure she'd be happy to see you, once you proved yourself to be, well, you. Or, maybe, if you don't want that, and just want to get away, we could go live in the orange islands with Lapras. Or, possibly, if you want something to do, Lugia might like some help. His job probably keeps him pretty busy, and he might welcome the _chosen one's_ help. And, we could see silver again. Plus, he might even allow a lowly Pikachu to be an assistant or something."

Pikachu scratched at his trainer's very large neck, and smiled conspiratorially. "Or, maybe, possibly, we could always just take you back home. I'm sure Bayleef would love to see you."

Ash shuddered in fear, and turned to give a cold glare to Pikachu. "Don't even joke about that! If she knew, I wouldn't be able to rest without getting tackled every time she thought about me. I like my bones!"

Pikachu gave him a smug smile, and shrugged. "Alright, alright... But remember, you have saved the world countless times. Maybe it's time that you cash in some of that reward, if things don't improve."

His trainer didn't really respond, so he scratched Ash's side again, and continued with their possible prospects. "Well... Altomare is down a guardian. And I'm sure Latias would love to see you again. Plus, we haven't visited like we promised we would yet. How about there?"

Ash scratched his head, and thought about it. "I... I don't know."

Pikachu shrugged. "Well, I guess you're right, if you go there, you'll probably end up with some little Lati of your own floating around eventually..."

Ash's gloom disappeared, and was replaced with embarrassment as his face flushed crimson. Pikachu smirked, and continued. "What? We both know You'll get a mate someday, and frankly, I like Latias. Plus, you know, that whole first kiss thing and all?"

Ash continued to blush, and shook his head. Pikachu took this as a no, and decided to joke around a bit. "What? You'll never mate? Because I swore that I'll be an uncle. You gonna just do that to me? Kill my dreams?"

At this, Ash snorted, and laughed a bit, his blush slowly dying down and his dreary mood lifting. Pikachu smiled at his small success, and scratched Ash's side a bit more. He found a good distraction. "Or, how about Pidgeot? I think she had the smallest crush on you a while back. She might still want some of ya."

Ash laughed a bit more, "Pidgeot?!" He questioned, laughing. Pikachu looked affronted, and continued. "What? She's nice!"

Shaking his head, Ash continued his light laughter, still amused. Of course Pikachu would be one of those pokemon. He probably had crushes on just about every one of his female pokemon. "She's a bird!"

Pikachu shrugged, and couldn't help but have a light blush dust his cheeks. "So? I thought she was cute!"

Ash nudged pikachu with a shoulder, and laughed again. "Of course, you'd fall in love with something that, if in nature, would eat you."

Pikachu quickly huffed, and looked away. It seems the tables have turned. Ah well, it was the price he would pay. "I wasn't in love! Besides, Pidgeot get wrecked by Pikachu. You know, zap zap?"

Ash continued. "Yeah, I guess you're right. You moved on now, though. Now, you have a crush on May's Eevee. Wait, no, I take that back, you had a crush. When she evolved, you fell in love~"

Pikachu's blush grew from a dusting to a full blown crimson slowly, and he quick shook his head in denial. "I regret telling you that. I should've known you'd tell the world."

Ash chuckled a bit more, and pulled his friend closer. "Oh, come on, No one's around, and even if they were, what would happen? They'd travel all the way to Hoenn just to tell one of the thousands of Glaceon that lived there that a random Pikachu is in love with her?"

The electric type blushed some more, and looked away in embarrassment. Ash could help but grin as he continued. "Pikachu and Glaceon, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Pikachu couldn't help but huff a bit, and grumpily looked away. "Yeah, well, at least my first kiss wasn't from a pokemon!"

The pair froze for a second, before Ash raised a very confused eyebrow. Pikachu thought for a second, before face-palming. "Wait, that didn't come out right."

Ash blinked, before a look of horror came over his face. "Oh... Please no."

Pikachu looked over to Ash. "What?"

"It was mom, wasn't it?"

The electric type snorted, and shook his head. "Yes, Ash. We just didn't want to tell you. Ash, I am your father. Pssssh!"

Ash snorted, and shook his head. "I knew I shouldn't of let you watch that space movie!"

Pikachu laughed, and shoved Ash as much as he could with his small body. Ash moved a bit, and Ash lightly pushed back. The two of them sat in silence for several moments, before the young dragon spoke. "Pikachu?"

"Yeah?"

"Was it really Mom?"

Pikachu blushed, and nodded. "Yeah, but it was an accident, I swear! She tried to kiss my cheek, and I turned my head!"

Ash laughed a bit at this, and the two of them fell into silence for a moment. But, after a few minutes, Ash smiled, and slowly pulled Pikachu close, not really noticing as the electric type winced slightly. He gave him a close nuzzle, and simply hugged him. "Pikachu, What would I do without you?"

Pikachu quickly cleared his face, before returning the smile with his own. "Probably be in a pokeball somewhere. Iris would break you, by the way."

Ash couldn't help but smirk as he calmly released the mouse. His mood was certainly better. He'd have to get Pikachu some ketchup later. "So, I think we've had enough sappy stuff for the day. What now?"

The electric type's feet hit the ground, and he thought for a second. What was the plan again? "Well, as I've already said, let's go to the town. We might be able to convince the pokemon center to feed us, if we're lucky."

Ash shrugged, and nodded. "Alright, I'll trust you. But, what should we do if someone tries to catch me?"

His starter sat for a moment, before smiling. "Use your thunderbolt o'doom. Blowing up basically anything is a great distraction. Or, grab me, and fly off. Either one."

Ash winced, and felt a pang of dread inside his gut. He quickly gave his starter another question. "And... if it hits someone?" Pikachu stopped for a moment, before giving Ash a grim look. "Look at it this way, a thunderbolt that strong? They wouldn't even feel it."

The starter then jumped on his back, and tapped the Dragon's ear. "But, if you decide to fly off, don't you dare try and grab me if you can't. I'm already caught; no one could really do much with me besides hit me in the head with a pokeball. Just save yourself, and wait outside of town, and I'll find you, Alright? All I'd get would be a lump on the head, and it's really a pain trying to hunt you down. I've done enough of that in my lifetime." Ash nodded in affirmative, quickly pushing the darker thoughts from his head, and the two got off the ground, and made their way to the small village.

As Ash floated towards the looming city, Ash felt one thought go through his mind on repeat. 'I hope everything goes well.'

* * *

**A/N So you know, this chapter was much bigger. Much, much bigger. Problem was, the chapter flowed wrong. It felt, and read, like two different chapters. So, I seperated them. The other chapter is technically finished. But, It could use a bit more polish, and, adding the fact that the next chapter is quite heavy on exposition, and adds a important character, along with the fact that it just didn't want to fit together, I just decided to split the two. **

**The next chap may be up tomorrow, or, heck, later today, depending on how efficient I get. Or, in three days. I'm not really sure. But, I know it will be out soon. Anyway, I hope you like it!**

**Also, for those curious why Ash's attack doesn't work, the TM taught him how to create electricity. Nothing else. It's basically wild electricity, uncontrolled, and akin to a genuine lighting strike. And, so you know, a electric arc can get up to 10,000 degrees kelvin. Which flash vaporizes just about anything. **

**So, why do normal electric types not own everything? Eh, I'll just use the excuse that it's pokemon for now. **


	6. A lost girl, and a unexpected visitor

**A/N So, here is the next chapter! I hope I did it justice, as the events in this chapter are actually somewhat important to the world building of the story. Either way, I hope you like it!**

**Updated on September 4th, because I have nothing better to do. **

* * *

Ash couldn't help but feel nervous as he looked down the road, spying the entrance to the town. Heck, to be honest, most would feel probably worse as they entered the area that could honestly seal their fate to a life of being a captured pokemon. The pair, girding their loins and securing their courage, slowly and deliberately made their way into the town, and, as the two entered the town's boundaries, and began passing houses and small shops, they quickly noticed that literally everyone they passed stopped what they were doing, and gave the odd pair a shocked stare.

They weren't really surprised, either. If they saw a Latios with a Pikachu for a rider, entering town, they would stare too.

Most of the stares, however, were aimed at Ash, who, admittedly, was the more interesting of the two. The extremely nervous dragon awkwardly shuffled around, obviously uncomfortable to even the most casual observer, which the town clearly lacked, seeing as the entire town's folk gave very intense, very curious stares. All the while, Pikachu stood on the razor's edge, ready to immediately strike at anyone or anything that threatened his trainer-turned Latios.

The event was quite stressful.

The pair had awkwardly made it a quarter through small town, when the tension finally broke, taking the form of an unnamed pokemon trainer.

"Legendary! I'm going to catch you!"

Pikachu immediately spun, preparing to attack, as did the large dragon, but, instead of a experienced trainer, the pair found themselves staring at a very young boy. Pikachu couldn't help but cock an eyebrow as he glanced at the trainer's choice of pokemon, a small Caterpie. What was he gonna do with that? Pikachu almost laughed, but, before anything could happen, the trainer gave a command. "Caterpie, use string shot!"

The Caterpie hesitated, looking at the 'Ferocious" legendary, but, after a second, it shot an miniscule amount of string, coating Ash's head with a small amount of silk. Ash couldn't help but simply stare incredulously, before wiping it off. He then looked over to the small Caterpie, who looked very apologetic. He leaned over to Pikachu, and whispered "Was I that bad?" Pikachu laughed, regardless of the moment, and gave a amused smile, and a nod. "Worse."

The young trainer noticed the pair's whispering, and frowned. They seemed to be mocking him. He grumbled, and quickly pulled a pokeball out, and primed a throw, looking Ash dead in the eye. "Get ready, Legendary, I'm gonna catch you!" But, before the trainer could throw, a older man shot forward with surprising speed, and quickly smacked the young trainer in the back of the head.

"Fool! Is that how you thank our guardian pokemon? Apologize!"

The young trainer rubbed the back of his head with a mixture of pain and shame, and he gave a awkward bow in apology. "Sorry, mister Legendary."

The older man bowed as well, clearly apologetic for the town's youth. "I apologize for the child, Guardian. He just began his pokemon journey, and is about to leave the town. He must have wished to capture something before he left."

Ash tilted his head a bit in thought, unable to think of a appropriate response, before simply giving the pair what was hopefully a friendly smile. "It's alright!"

The elder man returned it, and swiftly grabbed the child's ear, and began to drag him away. Ash looked back to Pikachu, and summed up his thoughts. "That was weird."

"Yes. Anyway! Let's get moving again." Pikachu returned, smiling lightly. If that this was how most human settlements treated legendaries, then their adventure would be easy for the first time in their lives. Pikachu patted his trainer's head while smiling at this revelation, and pointed towards the front of the town. "Let's go, we still need to get to the pokemon center."

Ash nodded, his confidence returning. The fact that the town's people stopped a trainer's attempt to catch him made him feel a bit more secure. The pair continued, and made it halfway to the Pokemon center, when a small child ran up, and, in a unexpected twist, hugged Ash around the neck.

The pair of pokemon froze, and the electric type couldn't help but stare awkwardly at the child for a moment, unable to determine a proper reaction. Was it... attacking? The young Latios, on the other hand, simply sat there, unmoving, until the very young, pink haired child spoke. "Guardian!"

Ash couldn't help himself, and as his head tilted to the side, he parroted "Guardian?" There was that word again. Was that how legendaries were referred to here?

Immediately afterward, another young child arrived, and soon, a third. Several children poured from some unseen area, quickly piling onto the un-expecting legendary, and all began to cling to him tightly, gleefully holding onto his arms, wings, and neck. Ash froze, not knowing truly how to react, and unwilling to move, lest he accidentally harm one of the small humans that were seemingly bonded to him. His unasked plea of assistance, however, was quickly answered, when a loud voice from some unseen male rang through. "Quit crowding him!"

The children, for the most part, did as they were told, and quickly scattered and ran free of him, running back to their parents and loved ones, with the exception of a few of the youngest. Ash continued his stance, and stood still as he felt as one of the youngest climbed onto his back. He was about to speak in objection, when he felt a sharp yank on his left ear tuft. "Ow!"

The small child ignored his small squeal of pain, and he pulled repeatedly, but, before Pikachu could move to help, the child's mother rushed forward, and plucked the small child off, mumbling several quick apologies. Ash quickly rubbed his left ear, and winced. The small boy did a surprising number on it.

He continued to rub his left ear tuft, all while attempting to balance another small child climbing onto his back, when a young man stepped forward. Ash couldn't help but watch in curiosity as a young adult ventured closer, and, after glancing at Ash, he spoke. Was he going to try and capture them? Tell them to leave?

"I'm sorry for the children. They're excitable; you know how kids are..."

Ah, apologize.

Ash, after a moment, decided to simply agree with the young man, giving the youth a warm smile and a nod.

"It's alright." The young man returned the smile, and the small boy climbing on his back, and continued down the street, past a nearby building, which, upon further observation, turned out to be a schoolhouse and park. That's where they came from.

Ash moved to continue his journey, when a small arm stopped him. He looked back, and noticed one last child clinging to his left wing. It was the very first child that ran forward. The small girl continued to hold his wing, and Ash quickly looked around, hoping to get a glance of the young girl's parents. When no faces seemed to hold recognition, he stood still, and turned his neck to look at the small girl.

"My name's Sammy!" the young girl chirped.

The young Latios nodded in acknowledgement, and resumed looking for a second, and, when the townspeople continued to show no signs of recognition, he sighed unhappily, knowing what he had to do. "We got to go to the school house."

"Ash, and why do we need to do that?" His starter questioned as Ash picked up the small girl, and placed her on his back.

"Well," Ash began, "We need to get this girl to her parents, and the school's teacher probably knows who she is."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow, and released a sigh. "So, we're helping a little girl find her parents? If we got a pokeblock for every time we did that..."

Ash gave his starter a smirk. "We'd be able to feed Munchlax."

The electric starter smirked, and gave a small nod. "Alright then, I'll follow your lead. Besides, you know more about human children then I do. Let's just hope we don't get hunted down for soup for "stealing" a small child."

Ash chuckled. "Pikachu, we both know any soup with you in it would taste terrible." Pikachu huffed at that, and the unlikely trio continued down the street, a young Latios with both a electric mouse and a small human as passengers. The trio made towards the nearby school house, and, when they got to it, Ash knocked on the door.

"Hello? There's a small girl here-"

"My name's Sammy!"

"-Er, yeah, her name's Sammy."

The young Lati knocked on the door again, and, after a minute of knocking, got impatient. After a moment of contemplation, Ash quickly grabbed onto the door handle, and tried to open it.

Locked.

Ash grumbled a bit, and looked back to his new companion, and Pikachu. "Well, now what?"

Pikachu gave a shrug. "I don't know, you're the one with the hero complex. Let's just take her to the pokemon center, Nurse Joy will sort her out."

The young girl smiled a bit, and hopped up and down, her pink hair bouncing. "Nurse Joy! Nurse Joy!"

Pikachu raised an eyebrow, and couldn't help but smile. "Smart girl."

The legendary dragon smiled at the small child, and nodded. "Nurse Joy it is."

The trio returned to the main street, and continued on their journey to the pokemon center. All the while, the people of the city continued to stare as if Ash was growing three more heads at once, and, after a few minutes of uneventful travel, they found themselves at a familiar red building. The group stopped at the doors, and Pikachu, with a small flourish, hopped off. "So, you two wait here, and I'll see if I can convince the Chansey on duty to feed us. And maybe if they could find this kid's parents. Give me a sec."

Ash gave his starter a confused look. "And why can't I come in?"

Pikachu sighed, and shook his head. "It may be a while, and I don't want the kid breaking anything."

The young Latios still looked a bit confused. That was a pretty lame excuse. But, he felt a small yawn forming, and he quickly decided that a nap was in order, and that it would be easier to just let it go. "Alright, I'll stay out here with the ki-"

"My name's Sammy!" The child chirped again cheerfully.

"Sammy. Sorry." Pikachu nodded, and he went inside, and Ash looked around a bit, quickly finding a comfortable spot on the Pokemon center's lawn to lay down on. He quickly closed his eyes, and Sammy, after a moment, got bored, and began nudging Ash. "Nuh, I wanna nap." Was all the Latios offered in response, but the small child continued poking him.

"Quite a handful, aren't they?"

Ash felt a jolt of panic at the voice, and quickly opened his eyes, his sleep addled brain immediately remembering that he was, in fact in a human city, where trainers might want to catch him. His eyes jolted open, and he found himself staring into a pair of big blue eyes.

Ash jerked back, and quickly growled, looking at his new intruder. And, after he did, he found who exactly interrupted his nap. A Latios.

The young dragon quickly reared up, and, in a move he didn't expect, nor even notice, he pushed the small child behind himself automatically, and, without thinking, began glaring at the new intruder. "Who are you?" Ash growled.

The newcomer actually smiled at this. Not many of his kind genuinely protected humans these days. And even those who did are hesitant to communicate with them. "It warms my heart to see a Lati that doesn't hate humans. Not that I blame those who do, exactly, even if they are wrong to do so. But I believe that they've earned that solace."

The very young Lati cocked his head in confusion, but continued his stance and glare combo. The Latios noticed this, and bowed. "Oh, forgive me! My name is Jimu. I am the guardian of this town."

"What do you mean?" Was the youth's reply. His instincts, something he was still extremely unfamiliar with, screamed at him. What they screamed, Ash still couldn't tell, but they were certainly being loud about it.

Jimu smiled kindly, and, with a experienced eye, subtly looked over the younger Latios. He could tell that he was about fourteen, and, with his size and the way he carried himself, a sky-dancer. Somewhat awkward on land, but, when they flew, they_ flew_. And, looking at how his body was shaped, he was a quick one, too.

He hadn't seen one of those since his old friend, Herikan. Not the most common Lati type.

"Well," The older Latios began, "I protect this town. Lati have traditionally been the protectors of human settlements, have we not?"

Ash continued to stare, his expression unchanging. Jimu couldn't help but continue his smile. He was wary, he'd give him that. He continued to observe the small male. His movements were calm, controlled, deliberate, and he guessed that he'd been in dangerous situations often. That, or he was just an exceptionally mature, calm Latios. He glanced into the youth's eyes, and quickly felt a pang of pity. The cold, detached and protective look in the hatchling's eyes shown that he'd seen far more than he should've in his short life, and knew the consequences of failure well. Probably lost someone.

A small, cynical thought rose up. 'Haven't we all?'

He looked over the young dragon-type some more. He was heavily un-groomed, meaning, either an orphan, or separated from his group for an extensive amount of time. But, he was also somewhat clean, cleaner than he could manage by himself. Must be moving with someone, but not a Lati, nor a bird, who would've at least preened him. There was a difference between cleaning and grooming. He was possibly a trainer's pokemon. That definitely would explain his calm, protective demeanor with the small child.

But it wouldn't explain his extreme aversion to his own kind. That reaction was learned. Either through example, or through tragedy.

Jimu continued staring, and, using a leap of faith, bowed his head deeply, showing him the back of his long neck. The young one had to know the significance of that. But, alas, the young dragon continued staring, protectively standing in front of the now highly curious young girl. The older Lati's mind raced, trying to put together the puzzle. As he saw it, the youth was obviously either an orphan, a trainer's pokemon from a young age, or from some small herd out in the middle of nowhere. They were known to have weird practices.

"So, what's your name?"

Ash continued his glare, before, after a moment, tersely responded. "Ash."

The older Latios nodded calmly, backing away slightly, simply deciding to give the younger dragon some space. The youth relaxed a bit, but not by much. Jimu internally winced, this wasn't going well at all. First time seeing one of his own kind beyond his mate in a decade, and he was blowing it. "So, which herd are you from?"

"He isn't." It was now his turn to back away protectively. He glanced to his right, and found a small Pikachu. Not normally a threat, but this one seemed... Off. Most likely a trainer's pokemon, and probably an experienced one, at that. Ironically, the small mouse, normally a snack, was probably a considerable threat. "What do you mean?" Jimu offered cordially.

Pikachu glanced between the two Latios, his mind racing a mile-a-minute. Another Latios? He thought for a moment, and debated about simply telling him the truth. However, if Pikachu, who knew Ash's... craziness and unlikely ability to defy nature, reality, and basically everything, didn't believe him initially, why would a random Latios? Pikachu decided against the truth, and quickly sought out a viable lie, one that wouldn't lead to a possible fight. And, after a short moment of searching, an answer was found. Pikachu calmly stepped between the two Lati, and faced the older. "I mean, he is a Human-raised. Orphaned." Pikachu lied smoothly.

The older Dragon felt his gut plummet. So, he was an Orphan. That, and, if he was raised by humans alone, he knew nothing of being a Lati. Probably protective against all pokemon as well, not just his own. He winced at this revelation, and looked toward the human raised dragon. The hatchling must've had a rough life. "My apologies. I was unaware."

The Pikachu nodded, and, in a surprising show of trust and/or confidence, turned around completely, facing the younger Latios. "Ash, I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can I?" The young Latios' face, which was initially covered in confusion, quickly changed to a wince, and he looked away with a small blush. The Pikachu shook his head in exasperation, and looked back to the older. "So, how can we help you?"

Jimu was taken aback. Not many small pokemon were so frank, let alone with a predator several times his size. "I was just greeting the young Ash. I haven't seen any of my kind in quite some time. I was merely looking for company. However..." He lead off.

An Idea popped into his mind. Perhaps, he could help the youth a bit. After all, he was kin, and, at this rate, they needed every Lati left. His mind sought for options, and it came across one. "It's possible I can help you."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow, and gave the older dragon a funny look. "And how can you do that?"

Jimu smiled, and floated slightly closer. "Well, I can groom your ward, for one."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow, and looked from Ash to Jimu. He quickly thought for a moment, before deciding that it would help them if he allowed this Latios to, well, help them. Ash would get a grooming, and maybe the two would learn something valuable. Pikachu was the first to admit he knew nothing of Lati, and frankly, he needed to remedy that sooner, rather than later. "Alright."

Ash's eyes went wide, and he began to object, but, before he could get far, Pikachu stopped him with a small lie. "Ash, you need it. You've admittedly never had a proper grooming. You've been brushed, yes, but never groomed. And frankly, your feathers are starting to fray."

Ash closed his mouth, but glared. Ash still hadn't caught on to what his pokemon was doing. But, before he could try another objection, Pikachu interrupted again. "What would your mother say?"

That shut him up. He slumped in defeat, and nodded glumly. "Alright..."

Jimu winced at the complete lack of tact the Pikachu used; the Pikachu was either not used to being a caretaker, or the young Lati was strong willed, and refused to be goaded easily. And, looking at the pair, it seemed that the electric type probably helped raise the young Lati as a sort of crude father figure. However, he couldn't argue with the Pikachu's results. He hovered over, and the young Lati begrudgingly floated away from the small child, not looking very happy about it. The older Lati beckoned for him to come closer.

"Don't worry, this doesn't hurt a bit." The young girl looked confused, but, before she could follow, the Pikachu grabbed her by the hand. "Come on Sammy, let's take you to Chansey. He'll find your mother." The small child was the quickly guided away from the pair of Lati, and the older dragon simply ran his claws against the rough feathers of Ash's back. "Wow, when was your last brushing?"

Ash shrugged half heartedly, and stood still. He felt kind of embarrassed that he was being groomed in the middle of town for some reason, with people watching. He felt as if it was something private. The older Lati noticed this, and smiled. Maybe there was still hope for him yet. "Come. There is a place in the Pokemon center we can use."

Ash raised an eyebrow, but didn't complain. He wasn't going to look a gift ponyta in the mouth. The pair of Lati went inside, and the older lead his junior to a somewhat secluded corner of the currently empty recreation room. The older of the two then started his work. He probably should start with the basics. "So, the reason we preen and groom is to keep our feathers clean, and healthy. We flow psychic energy through our feathers, after all. They won't become translucent if they're damaged."

Ash shrugged half heartedly. "What does that mean?"

The older Lati smiled. Questions were always welcome. "It means becoming invisible. Our feathers, when energized, bend the light around us, so that we are harder to see."

Ash sighed unhappily, and shook his head. "I don't even know how to do that."

Jimu faltered for a second, before continuing. Must have been separated young. "That's a common skill, but, it does take some learning. Did you ever try and learn that skill before?"

Ash shook his head. "I didn't even know about it until a year ago."

Jimu couldn't help but sigh. Very young then. Damn Whirlwind. He shook his head dejectedly, and began again. Square one it is. "You obviously know how to fly."

Ash nodded at this. He couldn't help but smile at the mention of flight. "Yeah! I love flying, and, I think I'm pretty good at it too."

Jimu grinned. Of course a Sky-Dancer would love to fly. "And I don't doubt it. Your feathers work the same way. But, unlike your wings, where, if you put in more power, they just go faster, your feathers will bend the light around you incorrectly, making you even more noticeable."

Ash looked back. "How does that work?"

"Well, When your feathers get overcharged, they release that energy along with the light they bend. It'll make the colors brighter, or darker, and make small waves, or distortions. If you put enough energy in it, it'll make you more noticeable than if you weren't using it at all. It's kind of hard to ignore a glowing rainbow of colors the shape of a dragon. Too much, and they glow like a rainbow, too little, and they just make you slightly faded, but you're still there."

Ash nodded, and smiled a bit. "Heh."

Jimu took this as encouragement, and continued. "So, what else do you know?"

Ash thought for a moment. He felt the need to hide what he knew from this Latios, but, in the end, couldn't help himself. "Well, I know how to use Dragon Claw, and also Thunderbolt."

Jimu raised an eyebrow. Thunderbolt? That wasn't normal, but, if he was raised by humans, it could be possible. They have proven that they were excellent at improving pokemon, for better, or for worse.

"But," Ash continued, "I don't really know anything else. I never really battled before. Well, formally."

The older Latios nodded to that. Few pokemon really did, beyond pokemon trainers. Sometimes, claws and teeth were all you needed. Jimu thought for a second, before having another idea. "Well, do you know about the Luster Purge yet?"

Ash's eyes grew wide at that. He recognized that move from Tobias' Latios. "No! I don't, but could you teach me?"

Jimu felt his smile falter a bit, but shook his head. Learning the Luster Purge was a rite of passage into adulthood, and he was taking the place of a parent for this. It felt wrong, but, he was the child's only real option right now. "I cannot. However, can give you the means to learn."

Ash tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Luster Purge is a attack unique to Latios. Only we can truly use it, and for good reason. Because, the attack comes from here." Jimu spoke, poking Ash in the chest, before resuming his grooming.

"My Heart?"

Jimu smiled, and shook his head. "Nope."

Ash scrunched up his face for a second. "Not even figuratively?"

Jimu laughed at that. Youth, regardless of circumstance, still had it's ways of shining through. "Nope, definitely not, although, that is kinda close. It comes from your aura."

Ash continued looking confused. "Huh?"

"Luster Purge requires a certain type of Aura that not even a Lucario can imitate. Only two types of Pokemon can maintain the aura required to use it, if you don't count Mew."

Ash tilted his head again.

Jimu smiled. "Latios, and Humans."

That threw Ash through a loop. "What?"

"Remember, Aura has nothing to do with good or evil. It's like refining a rock, no matter how pure, it can still be used for terrible things. And humans are, well... really good at being anything and everything. They can be every type, and any type, and can do almost anything they set their mind to. They can't actually use the attack, but they can have the aura that's capable for forming it."

The older Latios smoothed a patch of rough feathers, and continued. "Humans truly are special."

Ash nodded, before scratching his head. "Is that why Lat- we protect them?"

Jimu frowned a bit, noticing the small slip up from the youth. He didn't really see himself as a Lati. The older Lati threw another tuft of dead feathers to the ground, and spoke. "Yes. We protect them from themselves. They have great good in them, but also great evil. Very seldom do pokemon hesitate to kill for food, but humans often will. But, no pokemon will craft such atrocities for such little gain. Humans can be much greater, and far, far worse, than most pokemon could ever hope to be. And that, my dear little Sky-Dancer, is why we protect humans."

Ash sat there for a moment, soaking the information in. "Huh."

Jimu then leaned in close, and spoke in the youth's ear. "So, still want to know how to learn 'The' luster purge?"

"Of course! Is it something super cool?"

Jimu nodded, and gave the youth a smile. He never got to do this with his own offspring. "Yep!"

Ash grinned excitedly. The two sat there for a moment in silence, Jimu letting the suspension build, before, finally, Ash spoke. "Are... are you gonna tell me?"

Jimu grinned happily, amused with his own joke, and nodded. "Oh, right! The secret to learning luster purge is..."

Ash leaned in closer.

"Trying!"

Ash's grin fell right onto the floor. "What? Trying?"

"Yep! As with everything using Aura, It's different for everyone. All there is are basic guidelines. You'll get it, don't worry, just as long as you try for it. Every Latios before us had found it that way, and so will you."

Ash stared at the older Lati with a deadpan expression. "What a cop-out."

Jimu couldn't help but laugh at that. "That's life sometimes, huh?"

Jimu continued his grooming, and, after another minute, spoke again. "So... you have any cute little Latias you have your eye on?"

Ash couldn't help but blush, his mind going back to his and Pikachu's previous discussion. Jimu noticed this, and smiled. "I'll take that as a yes!"

The youth continued blushing, and Jimu grinned. Sometimes, all it took to gain some trust was to ask the right questions, and say the right things. "So, what's her name?"

Ash blushed, but, deciding to continue on with Pikachu's deception, answered. "Latias."

Jimu's eyebrow rose a bit. "Ummm... Latias?"

Who would name their child after her species?

Ash nodded, and sighed. "Yeah, she, and her brother, are the guardians of Altomare. Well, she is. He... was."

Jimu nodded sadly. He knew how that story goes. "So, how'd you meet?"

Ash smiled fondly, and continued. "Well, I saved her from Team Rocket. They wanted the Soul Dew."

And, immediately, Jimu felt his heart stop and flash freeze as the information rammed into his brain. Team Rocket knew of Altomare's Soul Dew? He forced himself to keep a calm facade, and, while failing miserably, he did manage to not panic. Ash's back was to him, so he didn't notice, but he needed to know what was next. "Wh-What, Erm, what happened?"

Ash continued on, not noticing the older Lati's distress. "Well, they ended capturing Latios, and got the Soul Dew. But, me and Latias ended up freeing Latios, but, before we could get the Soul Dew back, one of the Team Rocket members grabbed it, and it blew up."

This drew a blank face from the older dragon-type. A Soul Dew was destroyed? And how did he not already know of this? "So, the waters came back to the city, and Latios gave his life to become a new Soul Dew."

The older Lati felt his eye twitch. He was missing something. "Wait... how did the soul dew blow up?"

Ash thought for a moment, before smiling. "Oh, the put it in the DMA. It uses-"

Oh. Oh...

Oh, Hell no. "I know of it... Or, at least, I know of imitations of it." Jimu ended up forcing out, before taking a breath. He would've hoped that this news would have reached him by now.

Ash blinked. "You do?"

Jimu nodded mindlessly, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Team Rocket knew. If they did, Whirlwind wasn't far behind. "So, what happened to the Team Rocket members?"

Ash shrugged. "Annie and Oakley? They got arrested, and got put in jail."

Jimu sighed. The human authorities had them. He didn't know if this was a good or bad thing. Humanity was surprisingly adverse to killing off their criminals. "How... long was this ago?"

"About a year or two."

Jimu felt his heart restart, and he quickly released the breath he was holding. If it had been a year already, and Altomare was still there, then maybe, just maybe, Whirlwind didn't know. He'd admit that he knew very little about events around the world, but he would've known something like an entire city being destroyed, just through human news. He forced himself to calm down a bit more, and looked to Ash. No wonder the poor kid was like he was. He watched probably something akin to a brother get his soul torn, and stuffed into a Soul Dew."So, what happened to Latias?"

Ash smiled, looking fondly back on his memories. "Well, we stayed with her for a bit, but we had to leave. But, on the pier, she kissed me."

Jimu nearly choked at the news. Lati, kissing in public. Kid was a walking bombshell factory. "You... Er, kissed?"

Ash nodded. "Yep!"

"In public?"

Ash nodded again. "Yep! Wait, kinda. There wasn't many around, and she was in her human form? Er, illusion? I don't know how that works."

The older Dragon pinched his brow, and sighed. 'He was raised by humans.' "Do you know, er, what that means?"

Ash shrugged. "That she likes me?"

Jimu felt the sick need to laugh. That was an understatement. So, he quickly tried a different approach. "Did your trainer, or Pikachu, ever tell you about, well, breeding?"

Ash nodded. At least the youth knew that much. "And, well, how was Latias raised?"

Ash thought for a second. "Well, I think Bianca and Lorenzo, two humans, raised her and her brother."

'That explains so much.'

"Well, let's just say this. To most Lati, Kissing is... well," Jimu added, blushing lightly, "Just... just don't do it in public. Alright?"

Ash nodded awkwardly, and a heavy silence fell between them. After several moments, Jimu found himself thinking considerably. He was quite fond of this youth, that much was certain. He actually reminded him of someone. Several someones, in fact.

He reminded him of them enough that he had to ask.

"Hey Ash."

"Yeah?"

"You remind me of someone. A friend of mine, named Leri. You wouldn't happen to be her kid, would you?"

Ash shook his head. Jimu sighed, but gave a awkward smile. "That's good. I haven't really heard from her in a long while, and, well, you're an orphan and all..."

Ash nodded awkwardly, and added a grimace. "I get it."

Before Jimu could continue, Pikachu trotted into the area, holding two large bowls of pokefood. He looked from the older Lati, who looked like someone told him his sister just got eaten, and Ash was blushing, but considerably nicer looking. "So, that's where you two went." He trotted over and set one in front of Ash, who immediately started eating as if he'd been starved.

"So, it turns out the girl's mother was the Nurse Joy here."

Ash looked up, and gave Pikachu a smile in return for the information, all while his face was covered in poke-food.

Jimu, meanwhile, simply nodded in acknowledgement, and continued his grooming, trying to avoid the ravenous Lati's limbs as he continued brushing away. Yep, he definitely had the appetite of a Sky-dancer. After another quiet moment, Jimu felt the need to speak, if only to kill the silence. "So, I have a question. Where are the two of you headed?"

Pikachu and Ash shared looks for a second, before Pikachu spoke, poke-food in paw. "Well, we're heading to Lacunosa city."

The older dragon nodded, and smiled. "Never been there, I think. Well... maybe. I honestly don't really remember the names of the cities I visited when I was young..." He drifted off.

Pikachu shrugged, and smiled. "Well, are ya done?"

The dragon huffed a bit, but shook his head. "Youth, Always in a rush. Yes, just about."

Ash sighed contently, and Pikachu nodded in approval. "So, I guess, after you two are done, you'll be gone?"

Pikachu nodded. "Yep, after we eat. We're in a rush."

"May I ask why?"

"We got separated from our friends, and we need to get to the city before they do, before they tell everyone we're dead, and all that fun stuff."

Jimu growled internally at this. That was a terrifyingly common occurrence nowadays. "I understand. This world isn't the nicest place anymore..."

Jimu pulled one last feather free, and nodded in satisfaction. The young Lati was now groomed for the first time in his life. Suddenly, his achievement felt hollow. "There we are."

Pikachu nodded happily, and glanced at Ash. "So, what did you two talk about?"

Ash smiled as he prepared to fly again. He couldn't wait to get back into the sky. He grinned gleefully, and looked back, and saw Jimu sitting there. "So you know, if you ever need any help, you're free to come back to this island. You are always welcome here."

Ash nodded vigorously. "Thanks Jimu. I'm, er, sorry for how I was when we met." He added awkwardly. Jimu gave him a smile, and shook his head. "It's alright, little Sky-dancer. The world is a dangerous place. That caution will save you, one day."

Ash raised an eyebrow at being called Sky-dancer again, but he still nodded with a smile, and turned to take off. But, before he could, he felt a arm grab him. He looked back, and saw Jimu holding him back. "Ash, I have a request." Pikachu grumbled a bit when he heard this. "If you end up coming across a great big group of Lati, and you meet a Latias named Cushimin, could you tell her that Jimu loves her, and looks forward to her next visit?"

Ash cocked his head a bit, and nodded. "Alright? But, who's-"

"Cushimin? She's my mate. Since I am the guardian of Nami, this town, I cannot leave. She makes a trip over here every 6 months or so, and stays for a several weeks. She's been, well, my only real company as of the last decade."

Ash nodded awkwardly, not really knowing a response. "Umm, alright, if I meet her, I'll tell her."

Jimu smiled happily, and nodded. "Thank you."

The pair of lati shared a smile, and Ash looked forward towards the next island in the chain. He had a feeling that they were almost there.

* * *

**A/N Alright! This chapter was a pain to get, and it went through three rewrites. Anyway, the plot starts now! ... Kinda. Next chapter. Maybe. Remember, all reviews are welcomed, be they Ambitious, affluent, or Alliterate! **


	7. An attraction unwanted

**A/N Oh Luna, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm La-**

**Updated/edited on the 8th of September, because I did a horrible job the first time around. **

* * *

Flight was awesome.

Ash missed his previous body, sure. But, while he couldn't be a trainer, or compete in pokemon battles due to his lack of skill with his new body, he still couldn't help but enjoy the situation, at least a little. After all, while flying on the back of Charizard or some other flying Pokemon was nice, nothing was as breath-taking as flying himself.

The eddies, the currents of air, just... everything. Nothing felt more natural, more... _right_, as he did when in flight. Sure, Pikachu made some very large complaints, and he did still feel his previous worries press against him in the back of his mind, but, whenever he did another quick flip, or danced happily over the light, carefree air currents that pushed lightly against him, he couldn't feel bad. how could he, when the sky was there to comfort him?

Sure, they've been flying persistently for 8 hours, continuing their journey across the absurdly long chain of islands, but Ash simply couldn't help but continue to look forward to the continuing flight; the open air felt like a long lost friend, and Ash couldn't deny it's call, nor it's company. Even Pikachu, after Ash stopped doing some of his more... aggressive stunts, started getting into the movements, sometimes requesting a particular move or off-the-wall maneuver, which usually ended up being some random motion that, in reality, didn't really merge together as well as they thought it would, in their head.

But Ash couldn't complain. All he needed was the wind in his ha-erm, feathers, and the thrill of the wind rushing past him, and he'd happily do as his starter asked. Ash smiled, letting loose another happy shout, and dived towards the water, pulling up parallel to the ocean, skimming the waves with an extended claw. Sure, He had to shoot right up to avoid a large wave, but he still felt pride in his quickly improving control.

"So, what are you gonna do once we get this sorted out?"

Ash pulled up further away from the ocean, before looking back over his back to his starter. What _were_ they gonna do? He gave the thought a single moment, before giving his starter a noncommittal shrug, smirking a bit as the motion bounced his starter a bit. "I don't know. Hopefully, I'll get changed back, but... er, if I don't, Maybe just go home. I can't really journey like..." Ash gestured to himself with a wayward claw, "This. Plus, I'd get to hang out with all of you guys for a bit."

"I... well, I haven't seen most of my pokemon for a while, and I really miss them. I just would like to see everyone again. Maybe even learn some cool moves from them, learn what it's like to see the world from their eyes."

The mouse gave a single nod in understanding, and gave a moment of silence before he nudged his partner. "So, we _aren't_ going to Altomare?"

The young dragon couldn't help but recall the pokemon's continuing joke, and forced back a blush, quickly shaking his head in denial. "No! No, I..." He watched as the electric type's smile grew, and he scowled. "You're not gonna let it go, are you?"

Pikachu smiled in amusement, and only pulled himself closer to his trainer's back, not bothering with a response.

The youth rolled his eyes, and frowned in irritation at the residual warmth still gracing his cheeks. He thought for a moment, before looking back, attempting to meet his friend's eyes. "So, if we can't go to Pallet, what would say we do?"

The electric starter scratched at his small chin for a moment, before giving his trainer a shrug. "I'd say the sky's the limit. We've made friends all around the world, and not just human ones. We could go on a mini-vacation. Visit all those friends you've promised to see again. But, if you don't wanna do that, I just say Pallet, or maybe Hoenn."

"Why Hoenn?"

Pikachu smiled a bit. "I like warm places, but not the tropics. Hoenn is perfect for that. But, it's your choice."

Staring unhappily at his starter, Ash pouted a bit. "And why do I have to make all the choices?"

"Because you're the trainer, the mode of transport, the one in trouble, and, in a pokemon sense, the legendary. Take your pick."

The young legendary growled unhappily; Pikachu was coddling him again. He hated that, and got enough of it from his Mom. He didn't need his friends to join in. "I still think you should choose."

Pikachu shrugged with a small smile. Ash always was easy to manipulate. "Well then, I say Vacation. First stop, Altomare."

Ash blinked, before putting a claw to his face in exasperation. He walked into that one. "Fine, fine."

The pair flew for several more moments with no noise coming from the pair, and all that they could hear was the sound of the wind. Pikachu couldn't help but sigh happily, it was moments like these he treasured.

"Why do you want to get me to Altomare so bad?"

Pikachu blinked, and shifted a bit to get a better look at Ash. "Well... She's a Latias. You're a Latios..."

Ash blushed a bit, and scowled.

"Not like that!" The electric type started, putting up his paws in defense. "I mean, she'll be able to help you figure yourself out. Do we know any other Lati that can help us?"

Ash shook his head awkwardly.

"Then she's our saving grace. And, if, in the end, you guys kick it off, It's just a bonus!"

Ash gave his starter another glare, and the pokemon simply chuckled. Ash was easy to tease, too.

But, before the starter could continue with his amusement, his eyes were suddenly blinded by a bright rainbow light. "Wah! Ash! Stop-it!"

Almost as fast as the light appeared, it was gone. "What? I was just practicing my "essential" Lati skills." The dragon offered with a smirk. The starter rubbed a bit at his eyes, before frowning.

"Ya nearly blinded me!"

Ash shrugged, his smug smile never leaving. "Well, I just wanna learn it before we get there... in case, you know..."

Pikachu grumbled, and sighed unhappily. He was hiding his assault under the pretense of logic and safety. He had no argument, and Ash knew it. "Grrr... Fine.

Ash smiled perhaps a bit too brightly for the electric type's comfort, and the bright, rainbow-esque light returned with a vengeance. Pikachu couldn't help but wince, and put his paws in front of his face in a futile attempt to block to sudden, very bright light. "Too bright!"

Ash scrunched his face up in concentration, and lowered his energy output. Ash's feathers stopped glowing, and, instead, became slightly transparent. Pikachu stopped shielding his face, and looked at the young dragon, mindlessly noting the waves he could see through his faded, somewhat transparent head. "Well, that's better than last time."

Ash frowned a bit, and shook his head. "I wish I could figure this out."

A small yellow paw patted Ash's somewhat transparent neck, and Pikachu looked toward his best friend. "Well, just, er, keep trying. Why not give it a tiny bit more juice? You're pretty close to being completely see-through this time, maybe you just need that last little push."

Ash nodded, and tried to increase the amount of power he poured into it, before beginning to glow again. Pikachu cringed a bit, and Ash, in a panic, quickly lowered it some more. Slightly less transparent than last time. He growled unhappily, and tried to use a bit of his bleed off energy from his wings into the attempt, instead of from his core reserve. Ash grew glassy for a moment, before beginning to glow again. He quickly reeled back a bit of his energy, and resumed his somewhat glassy appearance. Pikachu looked at him, and couldn't help but whoop. "You got it! ... Kinda. Still, it's a lot better than what you had."

The young dragon bobbed his head up and down happily in agreement, and lifted up a claw. He could easily see through it, and, while his outline was still there, if he stood still, he could possibly hide.

Pikachu patted Ash happily on the side of his wing, which caused an unwelcome shudder through Ash. "You did well. Now, I think I see the next island coming up."

The youth forced back the unwelcome feeling, and instead let his happiness take it's course, and grinned gleefully. He even did a small flip, almost losing Pikachu in the process. The starter wasn't happy about that, and gave him a whack with his tail in recompense. "Give me some warning next time!"

Ash just gave his starter a smile, and the pair shot toward the island. It'd been a hour since the last island, and he was getting hungry. He couldn't help but rub his suddenly growling stomach; hopefully, there would at least be some berries there. But, as the pair got closer, Ash noticed that the island was big. Very, very big.

Too big. After a look to the left and right just to see if he could see the end of either coast, he was sure that this wasn't just some island. "Pikachu, I think we're there!"

Raising an eyebrow, Pikachu couldn't help but question his trainer. This was the third 'I think we're there!' He'd been given on this trip, and he found himself hesitant to agree. "How do you know?"

Ash felt a smidge of excitement bloom in his gut, and simply smiled in return. "That's way too big to just be a island."

The starter squinted his eyes, and looked, quickly noting the very large landmass. "That is pretty big, let's get closer."

Ash obliged, and sped up a bit more. The pair quickly made landfall, and, after passing over a decent sized forest, the pair spotted a small city. "I think that is Lacunosa!"

The young dragon quickly shot forward, excitedly aiming for the forest boarding the city's outskirts. The pair then landed with little fanfare, and the electric type jumped off his mount, stretching a bit. "So, I hope you're up for a waiting game."

Ash scratched at his head. "What? Why?'

Pikachu sighed, and looked at his often dense trainer. "Well, we got here in two days."

Ash nodded happily.

"... Flying really fast."

Ash gave another, more hesitant nod.

"Er, so?"

Pikachu face palmed, and looked at his trainer. "Well, there is no way they could have got here before us. Even if we literally went around the entire region following these islands, Iris said we had four days at least before we got here before we left. So, that means..."

Ash slumped the instant the realization hit him. He really just wanted this to be over. "That we beat them here by a couple days..."

Pikachu nodded, and patted his trainer on his side. "It's alright Ash. It'll be over soon, and we'll figure this whole transformation thing out. Then, we can see if, when we get home and you're still a pokemon, if Brock can make us some of his Pokemon food. Cilan's is good, but Brock's is ten times better."

Ash gave a small, hesitant smile at this, and a similarly begrudging nod. "Alright... So, what do we do now?"

Pikachu scratched his head, and shrugged. "I don't know. Know any traveling games?"

Ash snorted at the joke, and shook his head. "Not any we haven't been doing for the past two days."

The electric type smiled, and looked in the direction of the town. "Well...We could try and go into town, and find the Pokemon center?"

Ash thought about it for a moment, before simply nodding in agreement. "And, what? Just say we got separated from our trainer?"

Pikachu nodded, and gave his trainer a smile. "Ash, you didn't tell me you had a sneaky streak."

The legendary shrugged, and returned the grin. "Well, I kinda recall having to dress up as a girl to get a Gym badge, so... This is kinda like that."

The starter just smirked, and nodded. "Well, 'Miss' Ash, let's go."

* * *

"Crap-crap-crap-crap-crap!"

Ash couldn't help but somewhat high pitched squeal a bit as he ducked, avoiding a large flamethrower which instead struck a nearby building. How did this go so wrong, so fast?

Oh, wait. Everything always seemed to go wrong this quick. Ash just seemed to be cursed.

All the pair did was bump into someone. And after bumping into that someone, who must have been the most pompous and ill tempered trainer in all of Unova, they found themselves at odds with said trainer's pokemon. Apparently, she had no qualms with fighting a "Trainer's" pokemon, while the trainer was in absentia.

And then, after they escaped the trainer's surprisingly apologetic Marshtomp, they quickly got a blast from the past, in the form of Team Magma. Ash distinctly recalled hearing about them breaking up, and after hearing about that supposedly messy affair, seeing their presence in _Hoenn,_ their home region, would've raised his brow in surprise. But, in Lacunosa? Ash was certain that fate was deliberately screwing with him. There was just no way.

As such, he wasn't very happy. And while he had been wanting a chance to test out his fighting skills, Ash found that it was difficult just trying to focus on fleeing; his starter was the one who had to focus on defense. And they were barely managing that, too.

And Pikachu knew this. He growled internally, cursing their luck, as he let loose another thunderbolt, aiming it at the side of the now somewhat abandoned street. At least everyone had the sense to leave the area; It'd be ten times harder if he had to screen his shots to avoid others. The attack quickly hit the side of a building, and, as planned, sent a cascade of rubble onto the pair of their pursuers. The Magmar, the one who was closest on their trail, grunted as it was knocked to the ground by a particularly large bit of rubble, but the Team Magma member quickly jumped to the side, avoiding the falling debris easily, and threw a ultra-ball at the pair. Pikachu quickly deflected it with his tail, and shot another Bolt at the human, knocking the female grunt off her feet. But, almost as fast as she was knocked down, she got back up.

He never understood how humans were so frickin' durable.

"Ash! Let's get out of here!"

The young dragon nodded, and gave a wary glance at the sky. Maybe, this time, it'd work. He shot up, and quickly tried to take off towards the sky, but, before he could reach the safety of the clouds, he was quickly knocked back down towards the ground. Again. "Going somewhere?"

Ash bounced off the ground, but quickly jolted back up, giving a livid glare as he spotted his current Nemesis. A Latias that kept shooting him down every time he tried to escape the city. He had no clue where she came from, what she wanted, or why she could so easily out-maneuver him when all her movements seemed to slow, but regardless, she kept him effectively corralled in the city. If he could get into the open air, he was pretty sure he could outpace her, but, stuck in this city, she'd continue to play with him like a Meowth with a wounded Pidgey.

The Latias gave him a somewhat flirting wink, and the young Lati couldn't help but growl at her angrily. He was taunting him again. She was worse than Bayleaf; At least she didn't keep him corralled in a city. He didn't know what was worse; The fact that she kept him from escaping, or that she kept flirting with him all the while. But, either way, he knew that she was quickly getting on his nerves. "Oh, don't get too angry, little Sky-dancer. We're not like Aqua, We'll let you live~"

All she got in response was another glare. She kept on referring to events, groups, and people who he honestly had no clue about. He didn't know what happened on the island of Marannu, but she seemed plenty happy to continue referencing it, as if he was there.

"Shut up!"

Pikachu, on the other hand, said nothing, simply matching his trainer's glare, before sending a thunder up to meet her, forcing her to dodge, and fade back into invisibility. Ash decided to take the chance, and quickly shot forward, going back onto the larger main street, where a couple Police officers were fighting against a group of Magma members. He was sure that they would win, The police outnumbered the Magma members two to one. But, The Magma members were better. It'd be a long fight, and Ash wasn't sure he'd last until the end of it.

But, before Ash could ponder more on his situation, a tap on his shoulder from Pikachu pulled him from his thoughts, and Ash quickly jetted forward, accidentally clipping a Magma member with his wing. Maybe, if he got enough speed, he'd just be able to jet out. He Pushed as hard as he could, but, as he met the sky, he was quickly repelled again, and the Latias reappeared. "Oh, I can't let you do that. I wouldn't be able to catch you if you got in the sky, and where's the fun in letting you get away?"

Ash gave the flirty female a glare, and growled again. "What do you doing this for?!"

The Latias put a claw to her chin, making a somewhat mocked thinking pose. She was teasing him. Again. "Ooh, I don't know, the Survival of our species?"

The young dragon blinked. He... honestly had no clue what she meant by that. But, before he could form another response, He was forced to dodge an attack from a grunt who broke away from the fighting, and mindlessly struck the man with his wing, sending the male flying. He shot away from the dazed grunt, and looked back up to the Latias. "What do you mean? That makes no sense!"

The older Latias looked somewhat surprised at his question, but after a moment, her face quickly lit up in genuine amusement. She laughed a bit, and floated somewhat closer.

"Wait... you don't know?"

Ash dodged another stray attack, and continued his ever-persistent glare. The Latias floated out of reach, but, to his surprise, her body faded, and reappeared directly in front of him. Without hesitation, she slowly ran a claw down the side of his face, causing him to flinch. Pikachu taken aback by her sudden proximity, and tried to prepare a Thunderbolt, but the Latias quickly punched the electric mouse with a claw, sending him sailing off of his trainer's back. "I've helped catch many Lati before, but you, you're a lot cuter than most."

Ash couldn't help but blush, and his body screamed at him to back up. But as he tried, the Dragoness' claws quickly grabbed at his jaw line, and held his face in place. "Oh, so, so innocent. Not even knowing of the slow, painful extinction of our species..." She said in a low tone. It almost sounded... moaned out. Ash's blush grew, and he started to feel... dirty. A countless inappropriate thoughts ran through his head, blocking any signals he tried to send to his limbs. "Magma wants to help, you know. They've been collecting Lati, making sure that, when they win, we still... exist."

She rubbed his cheek gently with a claw, pulling his face closer to hers. "Aqua kills us on sight. But, Archie has always been a short sighted pragmatist. Always willing to do what it takes to get what he wants, but never thinking about the future. Maxie, well, knows that he'll need someone to keep the 'great one' happy. After all, that's what Arceus made us for..."

She leaned in, and put her mouth to his ear, and whispered lightly. Ash couldn't help but freeze. His mind was completely clouded. "Might as well do our job."

She then moved her face in front of his, almost inches away; He could feel her breath on his nose, and, for a second, he wished to make her breath... His. "You know, I haven't been claimed... and, while you're young, I think we'd make beautiful children..."

Ash felt his face burn brightly. Was she... serious? Maybe... He should accept her offer. She was beautiful, and, maybe-

"Get away from him, you BITCH!"

The older Dragoness quickly looked to the side, and immediately found a electrified Iron Tail right between her eyes. Her head quickly shot straight down into the dirt, and she bounced a couple feet away, before sliding to a stop. She simply sat there, twitching from the electricity.

Ash quickly looked over, and spotted his starter sitting there, sporting a light bruise on his cheek and panting, and looking positively livid. The young dragon's mind quickly cleared up, and, after a quick shake of his head, he moved forward toward the starter, but he turned around at the sound of a slow clap. He looked to his left, and saw a newcomer; a woman dressed in a red hoodie. She wasn't here earlier. "Good job. Few have ever bested Novia, even with how soft she can be. However, as of now, I'm your opponent."

Pikachu quickly shot forward, nimbly landing in front of his trainer. "You've got to get through me, first!"

Ash looked nervously between the newcomer, and the fallen Latias, who was starting to regain her faculties. "Pikachu, Now's our chance, we can run!"

Pikachu, however, shook his head. He had enough. "No! Now they've pissed me off!"

Ash winced at the tone. Pikachu lost it. The thought of simply grabbing Pikachu and flying off without his consent rushed through his head, but before he could act on it, his starter moved first.

Pikachu quickly sparked his cheeks, and shot a bolt of Lightning towards the Magma member. The woman quickly leapt back, doing a stylized backflip before pulling out a pokeball and throwing it. A large dragon appeared; A Charizard. "Charlie, Fire Blast!"

Pikachu and Ash shot in opposite directions, and the large pillar of flame shot between them. Pikachu leapt forward, swinging a quickly formed Iron tail into its neck, and it was knocked backward a bit. Ash, on the other hand, found himself facing the Latias, Novia, who had recovered, and rushed for him terrifyingly fast.

"Hello again." She joked. Ash ducked quickly, avoiding a claw swung for his head, and he desperately swung forward with a clumsily made dragon claw to try and block her other claw. She easily dodged, and cuffed him roughly in the back of his head. He fell onto the ground roughly, and groaned as he held the newly formed bump. That'd hurt tomorrow. Novia quickly appeared at his side, and lowered down to the ground, looking him in the eyes. She gave him a disarming smile, and gently cupped his cheek with her claws, and lifted his face to hers. "I wasn't lying when I said you were cute." His mind suddenly clouded again, and a terrifying urge appeared. He wanted to throw her to the ground, and-

"I always liked Sky-dancers, Their faces were always... softer. Cuter."

To his surprise, she gave a quick lick to his cheek, making him erupt into another heavy blush. It took all his willpower not to do what his body was screaming at him to do. He honestly didn't know what was going on. "Maybe I'll just claim you myse-"

"Slaking! Punishment!"

Before Ash or Novia could react, a large Slaking burst from an admittedly already destroyed building, and shot forward, it's large hands grabbing a very surprised Novia by the neck roughly, and smashing her twice into the ground. Ash couldn't help but blankly stare in surprise, and watched as it threw her straight into the ground before it and then grabbed her by the wing, and flung her into a pile of rubble. Ash quickly regained his wits, however, and backed up, surprised by the ferocity of the attack and admittedly terrified at the sudden appearance of another possible foe, but, instead of the pokemon attacking him, it continued on towards the Latias, who sat dazed in the rubble. She saw the large pokemon move towards her, and shot a quick dragon breath at it, pushing it back a bit.

Ash watched in surprise, and was only forced to look away when he heard some noise coming from the entrance point of the newcomer. The Young male blinked as a man calmly walked out, and immediately recognized him. Norman.

Alright. Reality was literally off it's medication. Magma being in another region he could almost accept. But Norman? Not even close.

He decided to let that thought end there, however, and looked over to his starter, who was fighting a Charizard, and, while doing spectacularly, was still losing, due to his preexisting exhaustion. He forced himself up, and, with naught but a split second of contemplation, shot forward with all he had, ramming the large dragon with his shoulder. He easily knocked it off it's feet, and Ash felt a pang of pain in his side. He winced, but continued, using the one true move he knew how to use, dragon claw. He quickly gave the large dragon a uppercut in the side, forcing it several feet away and rolling it a bit, but it quickly got back up. Pikachu quickly rushed over to Ash, and spoke, panting. "Ash, we *pant* Got this."

Ash nodded, and looked towards the now equally haggard Charizard. But, before the pair could move forward, a Vigoroth Jumped in front of them, facing the Charizard. "You two! Trainer wants you safe, now!"

Ash looked towards Pikachu, who looked at Ash. Ash nodded tiredly, and grabbed his starter before he could complain, not one to look a gift ponyta in the mouth. The pair spared one last look at the now fighting pair of pokemon, and moved towards the Gym Leader. The instant they got close, Norman gave them a strange look. It was... cold.

He was normally so warm. Guess the fight made him serious.

"You two, stay with me. It's not safe." Ash just gave a numb nod, while Pikachu mumbled 'Well, duh' under his breath.

Pikachu then looked over to Ash, and frowned in worry. Ash came first. "Ash, you *pant* Ok?"

Ash frowned, and thought for a moment. "I'm... not sure."

Pikachu nodded wearily, and leaned up against him. At least he was honest. "That-*pant* was your first attract, wasn't it?"

Ash winced. So, that was what attract felt like? "Umm... Yeah. Is it always that bad?"

The electric type took a couple deep breaths, and sighed. "Sometimes. She didn't... do anything, while I wasn't looking, did she?"

Ash shook his head. "No, but I-"

Pikachu shook his head, and frowned a bit, still breathing heavily. "That's normal, Ash. Trust me, almost anything you could have possibly thought would be probably considered normal."

The young dragon sighed unhappily, and stared at the ground. "Ash, learn from this. As a trainer, attract is a move that can help you, and turn the tide in a battle." Ash nodded. "But, in the wild, it can destroy relationships, scar pokemon, and can even get someone killed. The bond between mates is strong for some pokemon, and the move attract can often destroy that bond, or cause the pokemon's mate to attack the user, and aim to kill."

Pikachu growled a bit in irritation; this wasn't how Ash should've learned that. However, now wasn't the time to complain. "There are reasons why there aren't many pokemon who learn that move naturally. And those reasons are also why there are even fewer that are considered common."

"Slaking, finish her with giga impact!"

Both Pikachu and Ash jumped, not expecting the man beside them to shout. The pair quickly looked over to the battle they were ignoring.

Ash watched as the large sloth shot forward like a rocket, hitting the already tired Lati dead center. Dust rose, and Ash watched nervously as Slaking slowly trudged out of the smoke, quickly realizing that he was dragging a wounded Latias with him. Ash winced, and watched as the sloth pokemon drug the injured Lati to his trainer, and threw her to his feet. Norman looked down to it sadly, and sighed. "Magma, you corrupt even the most gentle natured pokemon."

Norman knelt down, and put his hand to Novia's neck. "I'm sorry, Lati, but you're gone too far. You tried to give up your own kind to others, for nothing but your own selfishness, and desire to support those you work for. And betrayal has no standing among family."

Norman then opened his mouth, but, before he could speak, looked to Ash. He stared at him for a second, before nodding to himself. "Latios, _you_ will pass judgment on her. You are the one who she attacked, you will choose her fate." Ash blinked for a moment, before slowly floating over to the wounded Lati. What would he do? She tried to corrupt him, bent his thoughts and... _desires_ at her own whim. To be honest, he was angry, furious, nay, _Livid_. Ash continued to stare for a moment, and felt his anger grow. She warped his mind, twisted his desires for her own use. That was something that sickened him to his core.

But... as he continued to look at her, sitting there, panting weakly, his anger died. She wasn't to blame, it was those she followed. But, she also followed them willingly.

After one last moment of deliberation, He decided. He lifted his arm, and moved it to her face.

And flicked her firmly on the nose.

"Bad."

The Latias blinked owlishly, and Ash looked back to Norman, and smiled. Norman actually gave him a small smile in amusement. "Dragon, you'd protect the kin that betray you?"

Ash unhesitatingly nodded. Pikachu sighed, and shook his head, but he had a smile as well. Ash was Ash, and you could never change that. Norman stared for a moment, before releasing the breath he held. "Alright, Latios. I'll spare her." Ash choked a bit; Was that the stakes they were using? Life and Death? Literally?

Norman knelt back down to the Latias, and looked her in the eye. "Latias, Know this. You are going to be transferred to interpol. They will be your new masters, be you willing, or not."

The Latias continued to pant weakly, before looking at Ash. He remained in front of her, standing between her and Norman, and she made her decision. After a moment, she looked back to the Gym Leader, and nodded weakly. Norman accepted this, and looked to Ash. "Alright, Lati. You got your wish. She'll be kept safe."

Ash couldn't help but smile, regardless of the circumstance, and nodded happily. "Thank you."

Norman smiled further at the gesture, and nodded. "Slaking, pick her up. You two, please come with me. I'll keep you safe, for the time being."

Ash nodded and leaned down, allowing Pikachu to tiredly crawl onto his back. The adrenaline was wearing off, and Ash now felt very tired. Probably didn't help that it was nearing nightfall, and that they had a very early morning.

The group hadn't even began moving, however, when a police officer appeared. "Norman? Thank Mew. Three of the Magma members ran, once we caught the Admin. She attempted to leave after your Vigoroth defeated her Charizard, but got hit by a stray attack, and broke her leg. She's at the hospital under guard, and we've declared a state of emergency."

Norman sighed unhappily, and nodded. That would mean a ton of paperwork. "Alright. Tell the mayor I'll be down in a minute. I've got a pair of Lati here."

The police officer looked surprised for a second, and looked at Ash, as if noticing him for the first time. "Oh." Was all he said. He glanced at the young legendary for a second, before smiling. "So, he's what the bastards wanted?"

Norman nodded, and sighed. "Yes. Now, I got to get them somewhere safe."

Still smiling, the police officer nodded, and looked to Ash. "I'm sorry for your troubles." Was all he offered.

Ash stared right back, and gave a awkward nod. Norman continued his walk, and, after another moment of confused staring, Ash followed, wondering what their destination would be.

* * *

It turned out to be the Petalburg Gym. Ash couldn't help but stare in absolute confusion, but, after a moment of blankly staring, he finally came to a realization. "Hey Pikachu?"

His starter, who, upon spotting the Petalburg Gym, just put his face in his paws, and had yet to remove them. "*Sigh* Yes, Ash?"

Ash looked over to Pikachu, and sighed in sheer exasperation. Please... no. "... I think we went the wrong way."

The electric type couldn't help but moan in anguish, and, after a moment of internal turmoil, looked over to his trainer. Ash looked at the electric type hopefully, as if he could just deny it, and make the reality less aggravating. But, he was quickly disappointed. "Yes Ash. Yes we did."

Ash groaned after the confirmation, and began glaring futilely at the offending building. The building was to blame, he just knew it. He continued to glare, and his look gained Norman's attention. "Er... I apologize for the lack of decor, but... it's not that bad, is it?"

Ash normally would've said something to reassure the Gym leader, but frankly, he wasn't in the mood, and instead, nodded. "Yes, it is that bad."

Norman's shoulder's slumped, and he sighed. "Well... I, er, will get a decorator to fix it."

Ash nodded, a frown still plastered on his face, and grumpily entered through its doors, where he immediately spotted by a young, suspiciously familiarly looking boy. He couldn't help but blink in surprise. Max?

"Hey Dad, what was the emergenc... A... A Legendary."

Ash couldn't help but sit there awkwardly, almost smiling at the amazed expression Max held. But, before his smile could form, Max rushed up, and grabbed his wing, sending a surge of irritation through him. Ah, yes. This was definitely Max. He forced his irritation from his face, and tried to give the youth a welcoming smile.

He failed. Everything was just too much, too fast.

"Max! Don't crowd the Dragon!"

Max jumped slightly, before backing up, and looking at his father, who was walking toward them. "I was just doing what Ash would do..."

Norman sighed, and shook his head. "Maybe, but I'm sure Ash would know better than to grab a strange Latios' wings."

Max frowned, and huffed, and both Ash and Pikachu felt their irritation ease. Yup, this was Max.

"Either way, keep him company until I deliver this pokemon to Interpol."

Max gave a mindless nod, not even looking at his father. He was, instead, transfixed on the young dragon.

It was then that Pikachu made himself known, and made a loud greeting. Max blinked in surprise, before looking at the mouse. "Pikachu!?"

The electric type nodded and quickly jumped off the dragon's back and onto Max's shoulder, giving his cheek a rub against the young boy's. Max laughed at this, and gave the mouse a hug in return. "Pikachu, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Unova, with Ash!"

Pikachu shrugged, and Max went silent for a moment. "Wait.. is that Latios Ash's?"

Pikachu thought for a moment, thinking of carefully balancing the pros and cons, before simply nodding, figuring that he might as well, and screw the consequences. Max grinned manically, and whooped. "Ha! I knew it! I always told Drew Ash was going to be the best!"

Max grinned happily, and hugged the dragon, getting a grimace from the sore Dragon. "Ash is so awesome!" Max froze immediately afterward, and looked at the young Sky-Dancer. "But, please don't tell Ash I said that. He'd get a big head."

Pikachu couldn't help but smile at that, and nodded in amused agreement. "Yep. There'll be no living with him after this."

The trio happily sat there for a moment, but, before a conversation could form, Norman returned, and the group immediately quieted. Norman looked from Ash, to Pikachu, and finally, to Max. "So, dragon. I'll say this now. You can't stay. The Latias has already been sent to the interpol pokemon facility via a police poke-porter, and I cannot, nor will not, protect you."

Ash and Pikachu looked at each other, and Max looked like he'd been slapped. "But dad, these are Ash's pokemon!"

Norman blinked. He honestly didn't know that, but, in the end, it changed nothing. "And Max, why would Ash of all people, send a Latios and his Pikachu halfway across the world, instead of keeping them with him? Ash is smart; he must know of the three teams after Lati, and that neither the Latios nor his other pokemon are safe with him. He's sending them somewhere that is safe, probably to Altomare."

Ash's ears perked up at this. Safe? Why did there need to be somewhere that was safe? "After all, he has to think of his own pokemon, and his family too. Having a lati could get them all killed. But, if that's Ash's Pikachu, I'd say he refused to leave him on his own."

Norman knelt down, and put a hand on Max's shoulder. "Ash would never abandon a pokemon in need, you know that."

Norman then looked back to the pair of pokemon, and continued. "So, I cannot risk my own family to harbor you. Pikachu, I could easily, and would, if it was only him, but a Lati, even one who belongs to a dear family friend, I cannot. There is no hiding a Pokemon that large, and that rare. And it isn't fair to you, to keep you locked in a basement. I'm sorry... But... you have to leave."

Ash felt nothing but confusion. Norman was a pokemon Gym leader. What could scare him into refusing protection to someone?

Max frowned unhappily, and yelled. "But dad!"

Norman turned and glared at his son. "Max. You were not alive when the three teams attacked Celadon. Those were dark days, and, to be honest, I'm sure they could do it again. A city block was nearly destroyed today, and it was only five magma grunts and a lower squad leader that did it."

Norman sighed unhappily, and his glare lessened. "If any of the groups knew we had a Lati here, at the Gym, in the heart of Hoenn, they would do terrible things to all of us. They might kidnap May, burn the house to the ground, or simply barge in, and take it. There are things we can, and cannot do. And protecting a Lati from Magma, Aqua, or even Whirlwind is something we cannot do on our own, even if we wished to."

Ash froze slightly. Why did the name Whirlwind sound so familiar...?

Max wouldn't have it, though. "So, why not send them to interpol, like you did with that Latias?"

Norman sighed. "That Latias was a Team Magma pokemon. Interpol will try to rehabilitate it, and, if they succeed, will send it somewhere safe, like Altomare, or the Safari zone. It's just easier and safer for them just to fly the hour to either one."

Ash sat there for a moment, the conversation putting a toll on his mind. Being a Latios was dangerous? He looked over to Pikachu, who still sat on Max's shoulder, and a thought came to him. Pikachu, his best friend, was in danger too. He didn't know why he was a Latios now, but he wouldn't endanger his friends just by being where they were. It only took a second for him to make up his mind, and he turned around, and without a word, left the building. Pikachu almost didn't notice, until he looked over to Ash, and noticed he was almost out the door.

Pikachu growled, and leapt after him. Ash better not be doing what he thought he was.

* * *

"So, where are we going?"

Ash couldn't help himself and jumped a little. He didn't expect Pikachu to follow him outside so quickly. He quickly frowned, and gave Pikachu a small glare. "_I'm_ going to Altomare."

Pikachu nodded in agreement, and gave the Latios a smile. "See? I told you that you_ lurved_ her."

Normally, Ash would've blushed, but right now, he couldn't find himself embarrassed, and simply rolled his eyes in response. "Alright then, if we're going to Altomare, when do we leave?"

Ash shook his head unhappily. He should've just flew off when Pikachu spoke. "I'm going right now. And you're staying here."

Pikachu raised an somewhat confused frown in response. It seemed pretty fake."And why would I do that?"

"Because it'd keep you safe."

The starter frowned, and shook his head. Ash was still as dense as a sack of nickles. "And who will keep you safe?"

Ash shrugged. "Me."

Shaking his head, Pikachu couldn't help but sigh. "Ash, how many times have you recklessly ran ahead to something that should've killed you? Because, to be honest, I've lost count. The point is, you're terrible at keeping yourself safe."

"Doesn't matter, you're not coming."

And, before Pikachu could respond, Ash shot off.

"And how do you plan to stop me?"

Ash nearly stalled, and looked back, spotting a yellow Pikachu on his back. "Pikachu!" He couldn't help but growl.

The starter smiled a bit, and shook his head. "What, you thought that I couldn't use agility? You know how fast I am. Either way, Even if you ditch me, I'll make my way to Altomare on my own. I'll swim if I have to. You're not getting rid of me, whether you want to or not. In fact..." Pikachu added, "It might be safer for me to just stay with you. You don't have to worry about me drowning while trying to swim across an ocean, after all."

Ash growled again, and continued flying east. Pikachu smiled, and patted his trainer on the top of his head. "Hey, look on the bright side, Altomare is only an hour away, according to Norman, the almighty evil dragon slayer. Unless, you wanna fly faster."

Ash didn't respond, and continued flying. Pikachu rolled his eyes. If Ash was going to continue his angry moping, this was going to be a quiet trip.

* * *

**A/N Alright! This chapter, the one I've been dreading since I started this story, is finally over! I apologize for the wait, most of that was due to the destruction of my previous laptop, which, while simple enough to replace, also forced me to reconfigure all my stuff onto my new laptop, along with the honeymoon stage of "Hey, this thing can play Civ 5 and Fallout New Vegas! And it's not my gaming desktop! Yay games!" that I went through for three days.**

**Also, if anyone wants to be my Beta, which, after looking over the last chap, I decided that, I will never get up to snuff, just PM me. I'll accept the most fitting candidate.**

**(EDIT: I got a Beta! He's the amazing Syrup-Waffle!)**

**In other news, the next chapter finally has Latias in it! I can't say how big it will be, though, and, while I already have an extremely important scene of that event written up, (Which I'll give you a taste of in a moment,) I can't really say how much will be between this chapter, and that point. It could be a standard 2k words, and there'll only be a chapter, or, my muse can make it 15k words, and two/three chapters. Who knows?**

**Alright, here is the (hopefully) next chapter's sneak peak!**

Pikachu then looked over to Latias for a moment, contemplating his choice of words. After a moment, he found them. "So, Latias, as I tell you our story, I have a question for you. What happened?"

Latias couldn't help herself as she gave the electric type a blank stare. She had been enraptured by his tale, and the completely unexpected question broke her facade a little. "What do you mean?"

Pikachu continued to pet his sleeping trainer's neck, but his eyes met nothing but hers. "I may not have lived a long life, but I have experienced more than most. I have helped save the world on countless occasions. I have fought gods, saved realms, and spat in the face of all seven of the greatest sins. And yet, rarely have I seen someone go from being Kind, loving, and cheerful, to cynical, territorial, and colder than Kyurem's ice. So, I ask you again, **What. Happened**?"

Latias sat there quietly for a moment, and her eyes floated past the glaring electric type, and passed onto to the sleeping dragon he sat protectively in front of. She sat in complete silence for a moment, before finally formulating a reply, returning the electric types glare with an icy one of her own. "Pikachu, let me tell _you_ a story."


	8. The very best, at least to me

**A/N So, this chapter came to me, and, while not the one with Latias, It's not only sufficiently fluffy enough, but it also kinda ruins the flow of the chapter that it would be a part of if it wasn't kept seperate. Also, it's only been 8 hours, so bleh. I hope you like it!**

**Slightly tweaked on September 8th, Because I couldn't find much to truly change besides wording. **

* * *

Turns out, Ash can keep the silent treatment up for a good amount of time.

Pikachu couldn't help but yawn; even with the winds whipping past him roughly, it was still nightfall. Turns out, Norman had been full of crap when he said that it was a hour trip. It had been three hours, and they were still on their way.

Even with a traveling speed of a irritated Latios, The pair had only entered Johto about fifteen minutes ago, and were about to cross the sea that was between them and Altomare. It'd probably be another hour or so before the arrived at Altomare; If Pikachu remembered correctly, it had been a two day Boat ride.

"Pikachu?"

The electric starter almost jumped; he had gotten used to the silence. "Yes, Ash?"

Ash internally squirmed. He had been lost in his own thoughts for a while, and he had ended up stuck on the conversation he had with Pikachu earlier. "You said... that, well, there was only a few pokemon that could naturally learn attract? Why is that?"

Pikachu winced a bit. He had admittedly said that in the heat of the moment. It was a completely true fact; There were very few Pokemon that could naturally learn that move. Well, anymore, anyway. But, regardless, He felt he needed to tell his trainer something, anything, to help him both feel at ease, and learn of the seriousness of his... situation. Too bad it was a bit more serious than he would've liked.

Well, in for a bit, in for a Poke-dollar. "They went extinct."

Ash frowned. "They went extinct? How?"

"Well..." Pikachu began, "As I said, attract had some... extremely negative connotations with it. And many pokemon didn't really like, well, "you know what" first hand."

Ash winced a bit, and Pikachu bit his lip. He apparently needed to learn tact, as well as foresight. "So, the pokemon who naturally learned, and used, Attract, got hunted."

The young dragon frowned further, and shook his head. "Who would kill a entire species?"

Pikachu sighed, and continued. "Pokemon would."

The young dragon almost stopped flying, and gave Pikachu a funny look.

Pikachu simply waited for Ash's eventual response, and wasn't disappointed. "What?" Not as eloquent as he wished, but it worked. "You see," He continued, "Pokemon aren't much different from humans. Well, if you want to be technical, All other pokemon, blah blah, you get it. Anyway, Pokemon didn't like being seduced on command, regardless of mental fortitude, and just killed off most pokemon that could use attract."

Ash shook his head a bit in disbelief. "You're saying... they just killed them?"

He got a nod in response. "Yep. A good example would be Togekiss. I mean, according to humans, they were the most terrifying predators ever. Almost as fast as Lati, rarely needed to eat, almost impossible to kill and could kill almost as fast as they could fly. And yet, they went extinct, or whatever they are right now. There are pokemon stories, and they are much like human's "slay the dragon" stories, but instead of a dragon, it's a Togekiss."

The young dragon sighed unhappily, and groaned. Pikachu stopped his story, and looked at Ash. "Hey, Ash, you Ok?"

Ash shook his head. "No. I'm hungry, sad, worried, and scared."

Pikachu sat there awkwardly for a second. He wasn't really sure how to respond, and that wasn't what he meant when he asked the question. Another point for tact.

"I got no clue what to do, No clue where to go, besides where everyone expects me to go, and I'm stuck in a body I still can't use!"

Pikachu felt a sense of dread rise. This was going nowhere good, fast.

"My friend's think I'm dead, I can't go home, My mom's gonna hear how I've been eaten, my pokemon think I've murdered myself, and I'm trapped as a pokemon which apparently has half the world wanting them dead!

Ash gritted his teeth, and his side felt wet. Again. "And! My stupid side's bleeding again!"

Pikachu's eyes opened a bit. Ash was bleeding? When did he get cut?

Ash gritted his teeth further, and rubbed his stinging and tender side with a claw, and his claw came back with a little red. He stared at it for a moment, before noticing that his eyes were getting blurry.

Ash panicked a bit, and rubbed at his eyes, and realized something. His eyes were wet, too.

But it wasn't blood.

And, before he could stop himself, his breath hitched. His frame shook, and Pikachu heard a single sob.

And another. And another after that. And, like the opening of a floodgate, Ash starting weeping.

Pikachu froze, and stared for a second. Ash wasn't one to cry for himself. He cried for injustice, for someone getting a bad hand, or the loss of a friend. The last time he remembered Ash crying selfishly, it was when he lost at the pokemon league, and he'd come a long way from that. And, in that single moment, Pikachu realized something. Of all the times Ash needed him, right now was the time he needed him most. Not when he had to save Arceus, nor the time he nearly died because of Mewtwo. Pikachu carefully crawled up his trainer's neck, and placed his face beside his. And then, before he could stop himself, he started to cry with him.

Ash slowly wiped his eyes, and hugged his starter close with a arm. The pair had been hovering awkwardly over the ocean for a while now, and while Ash had eventually stopped crying, he didn't feel much better. So, the pair just sat there, awkwardly floating and holding each other whilst crying. Ash hiccupped again, and held tighter onto Pikachu. But, as the time passed, Ash's hiccups stopped, and his tears dried. After roughly a half hour, Pikachu tentatively looked up, and couldn't help himself as he spoke. "Did that help at all?"

Ash shook his head. "Not... Not really. I don't feel like I'm just gonna... break again, though."

Pikachu nodded, and sat there. After a moment, Pikachu spoke again. "Ash? I wanted to let you know that... Umm... I love ya."

Ash froze a bit, and Pikachu quickly waved his paws, and continued. "Not, erm, like that, just... you're my brother. Best friend. I'm not really sure. I just know that I'd die to protect you, and... die to make sure you're happy. You're the most important thing I got, and, I... I just wanted you to know that. I don't say it enough, but you're my best friend, and, well, with how much we've kept the world safe and all, you'd think I'd say it more."

Ash gave Pikachu a blank stare, and he continued. He awkwardly shuffled backward in his trainer's arms, and put a paw against his chest. "Ash, no one is as true of a hero as you, and you've taught me so much. You've done so many things for the world, and fought so hard, just for some honestly earned recognition. We've gone through heck together, and yet, it always seemed to be the right time to go through when we did it, not because of it being easy, but because of the people we could help but venturing through. We're a team, you and I, and... well, There's no better team I'd rather be a part of. If you'll have me, I'll be with you, arm and arm, together. Because... Well, I know we'll win whatever fight we face. It's your dream, after all, to be the best. But, to be honest, you are the best. the best that ever was."

Ash stared for a moment, his expression betraying nothing. Pikachu sat there in the, no, his legendary arms, and waited for a response.

All he got was a strong squeeze, and a few more tears. Pikachu almost thought he said something wrong, until he noticed Ash's teary smile. He quickly returned the hug, and tried to give the considerably larger pokemon a pat. The pair sat there for another moment, and finally, Ash spoke. "Pikachu? I love ya too."

Pikachu couldn't help but smile, and, wiping a stray, completely older tear that wasn't related at all, he nuzzled Ash. The pair simply hugged, and after a moment, Pikachu broke the silence. "Ash? How about we, um, get to Altomare, and find somewhere to sleep?"

Ash nodded a bit, and wiped his eyes again. "Alright."

And so, the pair took off again, towards Altomare.

* * *

**A/N So, I was just chillax'in in my room like a baller, when suddenly some Feels kicked in my door. One of them was like, "Next chap please!" I was all "I just finished one last night!" And they took offense to that.**

**Joking aside, the Pikachu monolog came from the original Pokemon theme. So, yeah, it has that going for it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I wanna go to bed, without my muse telling me that it'll bail if I make it wait. See ya!**

**P.S I desperately hope that my sleep deprived mind didn't make me post something that was complete crap. If it was, just say something, And I'll get to it in the mornin'.**


	9. A claim formed, and mistakes made

**A/N Now we're cooking with fire!**

**Before, I was cooking with some shards of glass, and friction. It was painful.**

**Also, Oops! I forgot to save the actual chap, and all you early readers got the unedited, unfilled up, and frankly, kinda insane version. Oopsie!**

**I kinda had to rewrite most of it. I hope it's as good as the previous one... *Crosses fingers***

**Updated/Edited on the 10th of september, because Latias was a fuddy duddy. **

* * *

Ash was exhausted. Four hours of flight, after a battle for life and death, and now, all Ash wanted was to lie down, and just get some well deserved rest. When the pair finally found Altomare, it was late. Very late. Late enough that Pikachu wouldn't be surprised if the sun was just around the corner.

They could still fly further, sure; A legendary had massive amounts of stamina, after all. But physical stamina was not mental awareness, and both of them were at the end of their tether with that. If they were honest with themselves, going straight for an island with little indication of where it was, with no other islands around it in case they couldn't find it, in the middle of the night, wasn't the best idea. But, they were there now. And that was what mattered.

The electric type gave a light stretch, and popped his neck, forcing what little energy he had left into focusing. Now that they found the city, it was up to him. After all, he would probably be the one that needed to speak to Latias, if only to explain things so Latias didn't attack them, like Iris did. 'Besides,' Pikachu mused, 'Latias would probably not appreciate being woke up in the first place, let alone by someone who claims to be an old friend, and yet lacks in... Ashey-ness.'

It would be funny to watch, but frankly, they didn't need any more fighting today.

Pikachu's attention was redirected by a sudden descent, and Pikachu looked over to Ash, who's eyes were looking pointedly ahead. It seems that Ash wanted to land on the docks. "Ash? Are you sure it's safe to just... land there?"

Ash simply gave a shrug. "Don' know. Tired."

Pikachu sighed, and gave a slow nod. If anyone had the right to be tired, it was Ash. After all, he was the one who had been flying. The pair slowly landed on a familiar looking dock, and Ash immediately went limp the second he touched the ground. Pikachu awkwardly hopped off his trainer's back, and looked at him. He was already asleep.

If it had been anywhere else, he would've left him. "Ash, we can't sleep right now. We gotta get to the sanctuary first."

"Nuh uh. Sleep now."

Pikachu put an exasperated paw to his face, and sighed. "Don't make me do it."

Ash didn't make a single move in response.

"Ash..."

Nothing.

Pikachu sighed, and shook his head. "Fine."

He held up a paw, and put it on Ash's side, and immediately sent a shock of electricity through it. Ash jolted a bit, and rolled over. But, he didn't do much else. Pikachu frowned, and clenched his teeth. "Ash, this is for your own good."

The electric type took a single breath, and gave his trainer a hefty thunder shock.

"Gwa!"

Ash jolted straight up, and landed back on the ground, looking dazed for a second. But, he quickly recovered, and gave Pikachu a glare.

"Hey!"

The mouse shrugged, and gave a little gesture around them. "We're in the middle of the docks, and we need to get to the Sanctuary. We can sleep there."

Ash continued glaring, but he gave a small nod. "Fine."

"Fine."

The young dragon rolled onto his belly, and floated back up slightly, not bothering to lean down for his passenger. Pikachu rolled his eyes, and just hopped up. Ash was being petty.

"Now... any clue where the sanctuary is?"

* * *

The pair found that there was a reason Altomare was it's own city state. It was massive.

And, to be honest, it didn't help that neither of them really went around in the city much, beyond the race and Ash's little trip through the canals to get to the DMA. It took almost a half hour, just to find the fountain, and even then, it didn't help them much.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Ash tiredly asked his starter for what seemed to be the fifth time.

"Yeah... that's that fountain we found Latias at..."

"I know. We've past here three times!"

Pikachu clenched his teeth, before letting out a breath in exasperation. "Yeah, but this fountain was where she lead us from, to the sanctuary."

Ash sighed, and nodded. "Alright, so... the only way left is the alley with the creepy stalker guy."

The electric type nodded. He hoped that the human that liked the alley so much would leave, but, almost every time they got near here, his was there, blocking that single alley. Normally, this would ring some warning bells, but, after searching the city for half and hour, they found that many streets and alleyways had their own little squatters.

Pikachu scrunched up his face, and shrugged. "That's the only way left."

Ash looked in the direction of the street, and sighed. "Fine. I'll try my invisibility, but you're on your own. I can do anything for you, except make you a magic flying mouse."

Pikachu couldn't help himself, and gave his trainer a tired smile. "Alright."

* * *

Turns out, the alley was where the Sanctuary was. After the pair snuck around the strange man, they found themselves at a surprisingly familiar looking wall. Pikachu gave the entrance a blank stare for a moment, before finally coming to his senses, and hopped off Ash's back. He gave the seemingly uninteresting wall a poke, and, sure enough, the wall became slightly distorted. "Ok... Ash, just, erm, wait here. I'll go find Latias, and tell her that you're, well, you."

Ash gave his starter a weary yawn and a nod. "Allllll...right."

Pikachu smiled, and gave Ash a somewhat awkward peace sign. "I promise ya, it'll be alright."

Ash just gave an indifferent shrug. He was too tired, and, at this point, too emotionally drained to care. Pikachu then walked through the wall, and Ash was alone.

* * *

The first thing that Pikachu saw when he entered the sanctuary, was a big pair of surprised green eyes. Pikachu almost jumped, but, the owner of those eyes, a Latios, jumped first. "Woah!"

Pikachu simply gave a blank stare. Who was this?

Did Latias find a mate? Because if she did, this might have gotten a lot harder.

The Latios quickly recovered, and spoke in a slightly wavering tone of voice that screamed inexperience and youth. "Who are you, and what's your business here?"

Pikachu stared at the young Lati for a moment, before smirking in amusement. This Latios was younger than Ash was, if only by a bit. He noted that he was a bit smaller then Ash as well. His face was chubbier, his body rounder. A adolescent, _maybe_ a young adult. The electric type didn't immediately answer his question, and instead looked over the smaller Latios. But, after a short moment of looking him over, he decided to answer. "Well, me and my friend have come to see Latias."

The Latios blinked in surprise, and looked around for a second, spotting no one. The dragon then floated behind Pikachu, and looked behind him, as if expecting someone to be sitting behind him. But, after he spotted no one, he instead awkwardly poked his tail, inciting a glare from the electric type. "Ummm... Your friend?"

Pikachu nodded in irritation. "Yes, we want to see Latias. We're old friends of hers, and well, seeing him would be a pleasant surprise. He's... waiting outside. Can you go tell her Pikachu and Ash are here?"

The Latios sat there for a moment, looking over Pikachu much like the electric type did with him, before nodding to no one in particular. "Sure? But, could you be, I don't know, more specific?"

Pikachu raised a very tired eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

The young, green eyed Latios sighed, as if dealing with a inexperienced tourist. "I don't know, maybe a name? I don't go to your home, demanding to see Pikachu, now do I?"

Pikachu almost laughed at the youth's cheek. However, he did have a point. Too bad Latias _was_ her name. He thought about how to explain this, but found an easier solution. "Well, She's the guardian of Altomare. Or, at least was, a couple years ago."

_That_ got the youth's attention. The young Latios froze in place for a moment, before shaking his head. Pikachu watched his face, and sighed. It seemed that he was trying to hide his expression, badly. "You mean the princess? You're... _friends_ with her? She has friends?"

Pikachu honestly didn't know how to react to that. Either this youth was as tired as he was, or something happened. Latias, having no friends. That was as off sounding as Ash having no friends. They were both some of the most friendly people he'd ever met. "Yes, anyway, can you please just go tell her?"

The young Latios nodded, and shouted, surprising Pikachu. "Yackey!"

Pikachu couldn't help but snort in amusement at the non-sequitur. Not the most strange thing he'd ever heard shouted out, but it was up there. "Yackey?"

The young Latios smiled sadly, and nodded. "Yeah, her parents weren't really good with names."

...Oh. It was a name.

Almost immediately, A small Latias appeared, looking somewhat irritated. "Kolm, If you have to go pee again, I swear I'll- Who's that?"

Pikachu glanced over to the newcomer, and the first thing he noted was her surprisingly over-sized claws. And the her slightly sharper seeming fangs. The electric type quickly suppressed his small pang of panic, and managed to school his face into a unimpressed, if almost bored, expression. The young Latios, apparently named Kolm, gestured to Pikachu. "This is apparently one of the Princess' friends."

The Feral looking Latias blinked for a moment, before looking over at Pikachu, as if he was grew a second and third head, and they were currently duking it out. "Friends? With the Princess?"

Kolm nodded simply. Pikachu couldn't help but notice the Latios looking at his female compatriot fondly. "Yeah, they want me to go wake her up. Apparently him, and somebody named Ash, are old friends."

Yackey looked around for a second, before looking back to Pikachu. She did the same as Kolm, and looked behind him, as if expecting him to be hiding his friend with his non-existent girth. "Is Ash a shade? I don't see him. Or her."

Kolm shook his head, and shrugged. "No clue, although he said that he's waitin' somewhere. Either way, can you watch the door, while I go wake her up?"

The young Latias looked at her friend as if he was crazy. "You're actually gonna wake her up? Are you nuts?"

"Well, if they really are her friends, and we don't tell her, she'll be beyond pissed. I think it's important enough." Was all Kolm gave in response.

Yackey sighed, and gave her friend a nod. "Fine, fine. But if you die, I'm choosing Merrim."

"Aww, what? You know I hate Merrim! He's a douche!"

The young Latias simply gave the male a smile, and giggled. She floated over to the male, and poked him in the nose with a claw. "Then don't die."

And, with that, Kolm left, and left the odd pair alone.

And Pikachu found himself hoping that this princess was actually their Latias.

* * *

Latias found herself dreaming. She didn't dream often, and in all honesty, when she did, it was usually a nightmare. But this, time, she dreamt, and dreamt well. the dream wasn't really all that clear, just images, happy thoughts and feelings. Perhaps they were of her brother, or Bianca and Lorenzo. Or, maybe even of Ash. But, regardless of their content, they were happy.

Which was precisely why she was very unhappy when she was woken up to a poke on the side of her head. It was enough to wake her, but a second one managed to get added in before she could open her eyes, which only kindled her irritation. She frowned unhappily, and pushed down the urge to strangle her waker. Her eyes popped open, and she got a look at her newest victim. A young Latios, with stunningly bright green eyes. "Kolm, It better be important."

Kolm smiled nervously, and nodded, backing up slightly. She suppressed a sigh; she wasn't going to hit him, no matter how much she wanted to. "Some... someone is here to see you."

Latias didn't react immediately, instead choosing to rub the sleep from her eyes. But, after she finished that, she looked over to Kolm. "Is it Merrim again? Because I told him countless times, No."

Kolm shook his head, and opened his mouth to reply, but Latias interrupted him.

"Lorip?"

"Er, uh, no."

"Amien?"

"Nope."

"Was it any of the council members?"

Kolm looked slightly nervous at that. "No..."

Latias frowned, looked directly at Kolm. "Then, why are you waking me?"

The young dragon withered under her cold stare, and forced out a response. "Well... they... requested you by name. Said they were old friends."

Latias didn't expect that. However, this wasn't the first time someone claimed to be an old friend to get an audience. She let loose a sigh, and shook her head. "And, what did they say their names were?"

Kolm sat the for a short moment, and winced. Her only recalled the one. "Well... I only remember one name, but the other one was a Pikachu."

That got her attention. "What was the other name?" She asked quickly. Perhaps too quickly. Kolm jumped in surprise, and gave a hasty reply. "The Pikachu said Ash!"

Latias froze immediately, and her heart nearly stopped, along with any thoughts of returning to sleep. "Did you say Ash?"

Kolm cringed, and gave a nervous nod.

Ash was here. Sleep would have to wait. Perhaps until tomorrow, even.

She had to stop herself from giving her side a pinch, just to be sure that she wasn't still asleep. "Send them in _immediately_."

"Yes, Milady." Kolm immediately turned, and left, leaving Latias alone. She quickly started feeling pangs of something she hadn't felt in a long time; Panic. She knew that Ash promised to return someday, but she honestly expected him to at least call Bianca first. She suddenly felt the urge to preen herself, Ash was coming, and she had but minutes to prepare. No, she didn't need to preen, she groomed herself fully yesterday.

Should she acquire food?

It was Ash, of course she did. She looked over to a nearby Bush, it had several Oran Berries she kept just in case she was too lazy or busy to hunt for something to eat.

She quickly shot over, and plucked one from it's branches, popping it in her mouth. It was ripe, almost too much so, but it would do. Ash was never very picky. It would make due for now.

She looked around her bedding area; it was separate from absolutely everyone else's, and had a fair distance between. She liked the seclusion and frankly, she needed time away from everyone as often as she could. Her bedding was somewhat orderly, and there was very little trash around her little grove. She quickly picked what was left around her grove, and threw it hard into the sky. Right now, she didn't care where it landed, as long as it wasn't _here_.

She gave a quick search of her little sleeping area, and made sure no one else was hiding in the shadows. She wanted, no, needed privacy, and the shade twins were not to interfere. And while they said they were going to sleep, it wouldn't have been the first time they lied, and hid in her sleeping area, under the guise of keeping her safe.

But, sure enough, her area was empty. She didn't have to worry about them eavesdropping, and she and Ash, along with Pikachu, would be able to say what they wanted and needed. She had a feeling this was important, if only due to the hour. And while Ash wasn't one for social niceties, he loved his sleep, and he wasn't _that_ rude.

She quickly gave several quick checks around the area, and, after making sure everything was as neat and perfect as she could get it, she found that she couldn't help herself, and breathed into her claw, and tested her breath. It... wasn't terrible. She felt her face grow slightly warmer due to the incredulity of the previous act, but she didn't really care, she was alone.

But, maybe, after all of this was done, she wouldn't be. For a short while, at least.

* * *

Pikachu found that the Latias known as Yackey wasn't really one for talking. It had been two minutes, and after a couple attempts of making small talk, he found that it was simply less awkward sitting in silence.

"So... you said that you had a friend with you? Where is he?"

Pikachu looked tiredly over to the young Lati, and frowned. Oh, so it wasn't alright when _he_ asked the questions? However, he quickly sucked it up, and answered her question. "Well... he's outside. We thought we'd, er, surprise Latias. But, instead, we found you two."

Yackey nodded awkwardly, and the silence returned. Yackey shuffled around for a moment, before speaking again. "So... Are you gonna go get him?"

The electric type blinked, before looking at Yackey. "Huh? Why would I do that?"

Yackey blushed a bit. "Well, we're gonna take you to the Princess, she won't just meet you out here."

The electric type sighed in irritation. Of course it wouldn't be easy. He couldn't just go in, and explain it all to Latias. Bring Ash in when it was safe. "Alright, fine."

Pikachu scowled as he turned to the entrance, and walked through, barely noting that Yackey had followed. The pair quickly found themselves in the street, and Pikachu immediately found Ash, leaning up against the wall, snoring. Yackey raised an eyebrow in amusement, and Pikachu sighed. "Aww, come on. If I can't sleep, neither can you. Get up!"

Giving Ash a electrified kick, Pikachu was quickly forced to duck as a large blue wing swung overhead, nearly clipping the mouse in the head. "I'm up, I'm up!"

The suddenly roused Lati then blearily glanced about, and found himself looking at a young Latias, and Pikachu. "Ummm, Pikachu? That's not Latias."

The electric type put a paw to his head, and grumbled a bit. "I know, Ash. I'm not that sleepy. Yackey, Ash. Ash, Silent broody girl."

Ash gave the Latias a blank, tired stare. Yackey, however, was much more active. "Wow! Are you a sky-dancer? I never have actually seen one before, I heard you guys can fly, like, forever!"

She floated around Ash's back, and looked at his wings. "Woah, you're wingspan's a lot bigger then Kolm's! Granted, he's a Current-chaser, not a Sky-dancer, but still."

Pikachu then watched as Yackey grinned mischievously, and poked Ash at the base of his wing. Ash immediately gave a yelp, and spun around, giving Yackey a glare. "Why does everyone always go for the wings!?"

Yackey held her oversized claws up in defense, and gave Ash a mischievous smirk. "Just testing your reflexes. Hey, so I heard Sky-dancers can learn extreme speed. Is that true?"

Before Ash could answer, the smaller Latias' eyes glowed for a second, and Ash felt a small tingle. Almost immediately after, she smiled happily. "So, you're not claimed, huh? I'm sure that nearly every Latias in town will be after you. Sky-dancers are exotic~!" She said in a somewhat sing-song voice.

Pikachu sighed, and shook his head. She was just like a more animalistic Dawn.

"Wait, what?"

Yackey ignored Ash's confused reply, and spun around him again. "I may even claim you myself!"

Ash couldn't help but wince at the familiar statement. Pikachu, however, was confused. Those two, Kolm and Yackey, seemed quite into each other. "Wait, I thought you and Kolm are together?'

Yackey rolled her eyes, and smiled condescendingly. "Shows what you know. We're not even claimed or anything."

She then looked back to Ash, and smiled. "We're just, as the humans say, dating. You know, the whole seeing other people while seeing each other thing?"

Neither Ash nor Pikachu could think of a proper response to this. However, Yackey took their silence as disapproval, and winced. "Oh, please don't tell me you two are all Anti-human. I get enough of that from Merrim."

Pikachu frowned, and shook his head. Some Pokemon didn't like humans. Such is life. "No. Actually, Ash was Human-raised. We just didn't expect that... terminology."

'Nor did we expect you misunderstanding what dating meant so badly.'

Yackey let out a breath, and smiled. "Oh, I guess that makes sense. Not very many Pokemon use Human ideas, huh?"

She then grabbed Ash by the claw, and pulled him towards the entrance to the sanctuary, giving Ash little time to recover from the sudden jerk. "Anyway! Let's go get you to see the princess!"

Ash tried to resist the pulling, but she didn't relent, and he just began hesitantly following the young Latias, as did Pikachu. They quickly entered the sanctuary, and found themselves being led to a tree. "So, where are you two from? How do you know the princess of Altomare?"

Ash looked to Pikachu, who was frowning, but he didn't really say anything, and just shook his head. "Well, we met her and her brother when we were vacationing here two years ago."

Pikachu shook his head. "Three years ago."

Ash blinked. "Three? Really?"

Yackey blinked, and her expression shifted to surprise. "Wait, you knew the prince? Whoa, was he cool? The princess says he was the greatest guardian of Altomare ever!"

Ash didn't say anything for a second, before smiling sadly. "Yeah, he was cool. I was there, you know, when he died."

The feral Latias didn't really say anything for a second. She simply sat there, before looking toward the sky. "So, you were the guys that saved the princess, huh?"

Ash sat there for a moment, before giving a hesitant nod. "She doesn't talk much, you know. Always quiet. She doesn't really 'do' nice things. She's not really mean though either, and she isn't the type that's always angry, she's just... there. She makes sure we got what we need, and fights for us if she has to, but, beyond that, she's just... distant."

Yackey then looked at Ash. "Was she... like that before?"

Ash couldn't help but frown. "No... she was a very happy girl, when we knew her."

Nodding, the young Latias gave Ash a small smile, and sighed. "I hope that you can help her then. I think she needs it. She always look so... bored."

The young Sky-Dancer gave a single blink.

She then sighed. "I think she's hurt."

Both Ash and Pikachu looked at each other in surprise, before looking back to Yackey. "So, w-"

"The Princess will see you now."

Ash jumped slightly at the sudden voice, and looked over. It was another Latios. Pikachu quickly noted that it wasn't Kolm. In fact, he was twice his size. The elder Lati gave a polite nod, and what would have passed for a smile, had it came from anyone else. "I am Amien, and I will be your escort."

The pair looked at each other, before Ash awkwardly nodded. The pair looked over to the young Latias, who stared at the older for a moment, "Dad? Why are you their escort?" The older of the pair thought quietly for a moment, before replying. "Because the Princess considers them important enough to give them a escort, and I am trusted enough by her for this task. Now, Kolm will return soon. Return your watch over your siblings. I will be home shortly."

Yackey nodded in acceptance, and floated off, leaving the pair alone with the considerably larger Latios. "Come, I shall lead you to her." The pair had no choice but to awkwardly follow the Latios. The pair was admittedly quite familiar with the sanctuary, they had ventured through it for many hours before, and it wasn't really the most complicated park. Sure, it was absurdly large, but it was mostly open, and all the paved paths lead to the same spot; the Soul Dew.

But, regardless, they apparently had to have an honor guard. The pair made their way through the garden slowly, passing what seemed to be multitudes of sleeping, drowsing, or patrolling Lati. Pikachu couldn't help but be surprised at the amount. There had to be almost a hundred Lati here, in the open, where they could see them, and frankly, there was around a dozen areas that were just like this. Ash was just as amazed, if not more so, seeing as he was now technically one of them.

"We're here."

Pikachu gave the older Lati a nod, and thanked him. He then watched as Amien floated off, back towards the entrance, and, once he was out of sight, he turned to Ash. "So... you just wait here, and I'll go explain everything to Latias. Just wait for me to call for you. Alright?"  
Ash gave a tired nod, and Pikachu smiled. "Alright. cross your fing- claws. Cross your claws."

Pikachu took one final breath to calm himself, and slowly and deliberately, he entered the grove. The first thing he saw was Latias. He looked around, and noticed that this little area was quite enclosed. It was almost like a bedroom, and it held itself as such. She gave him a very slight smile, but she didn't seem to have much focus on him. "Hello, Latias."

Latias, to Pikachu's surprise, only gave a nod of acknowledgement, before looking back to the entrance to her grove. "Hello, Pikachu."

He blinked. No hug? Squeal of glee?

She was barely smiling!

He pondered quietly for a moment, and Yackey's words came back to him. She was quiet and distant.

Pikachu shuffled awkwardly, and simply sat there, thinking of what he was going to say. Latias waited for a moment, staring expectantly at the entrance, but, when Ash never entered, she looked over to Pikachu. "So, where is Ash? I was told that he was here, or coming."

"He is, but, there's, erm, been a bit of an... let's call it an accident." Was Pikachu's reply.

Latias' faint smile immediately turned into a frown. Kolm gave no mention of an accident. "Pikachu, what happened?"

"Well, it's hard to explain-"

Latias almost faded from existence, before instantly reappearing inches away from Pikachu's face. She didn't look very happy. He words weren't loud, but they carried steel behind them. "What. Happened?"

Pikachu actually fell backwards in surprise, that was either a very fast agility, or she learned to teleport. "I, eh-"

Latias moved forward a bit. She forced herself to keep calm, and she spoke again. "Where is he, Pikachu? Is he safe?"

"Yes! Well, he's got a couple scratches, and his side won't quit bleeding for long, but he's fine! ... Kinda."

Latias gave him a glare. He wasn't giving her what she wanted to know. "So, where is he?"

Pikachu started to sweat a little. This was going downhill faster than an Arcanine with it's tail on fire. "Ash is outside, but, well, he's not the same."

"I thought you said he was fine." Latias all but growled out. She was starting to lose her temper, and she forced herself to rein it in.

Pikachu backed up a bit, and winced. "He is, it's just a temporary setback-"

"Heh, hi, Latias."

Pikachu froze, and Latias' head swiveled over to the newcomer. Pikachu couldn't help but sigh. Ash, your brave, brave fool. More fool then brave, honestly. "I thought I said to wait until I called for you?"

Latias stared at Ash for a moment, the gears in her mind whirring. She gave the Latios a blank stare for a moment, unable to think of a proper response, before simply asking the very first thing on her mind. "And, who are you?"

Ash blushed a bit, and gave an awkward smile. "Er, Latias, it's me, Ash."

"No, you're not." Was Latias' reply. It was said with a tone of finality, as if she was stating that the sky was blue. She felt a large pang of severe annoyance. Ash was hurt, and in trouble, Pikachu wouldn't tell her where he was, and this... joker just entered her grove without permission.

Ash, on the other hand, blinked in surprise, and looked over to Pikachu. "I thought you were gonna tell her!"

The starter sighed, and glared at Ash. "Yeah, I was! You just barged in here!"

Ash frowned, and continued staring at the mouse. "You called my name!"

Pikachu growled in exasperation, and rushed over to Ash. "Fine, ok, well, Latias, this is Ash now."

Latias felt her annoyance shift to anger. What was going on? "No, It's not. So, I ask again; who are you?"

Pikachu grimaced; he knew this would happen if they didn't handle this right. This was like Iris all over again. "Latias, this is Ash! Trust me!"

The young dragoness froze for a second, at the words, but quickly shook her head. She was missing something. "Pikachu, hypnosis is a powerful attack. And almost any psychic type can use it, if skilled enough."

She then turned to Ash, and gave a glare. "So, what did you do to Ash?"

"I didn't do anything!"

Latias felt a pang of irritation, and quickly charged up a shadow claw. She didn't know what was going on, and this stranger was holding Pikachu under his sway. Once the problem was removed, Pikachu might be able to answer her.

However, before she could do anything, Pikachu immediately jumped in front of Ash, and started sparking. She hesitated. While Pikachu wasn't Ash, he was still a friend. She wouldn't hurt him without a very good reason.

The pair stood there for a moment, before Ash decided that he had enough. "Stop!"

Pikachu almost immediately stood down, but Latias took a few seconds before she stopped her already formed attack. But once she did, she instead gave Ash a heavy glare. "What can I do to make you believe me?"

Latias blinked. That was a hefty question. What could he do? A skilled enough Psychic could read her surface thoughts, and answer questions only she would know the answer of. She was skilled, but there was always the chance of this unknown Latios being that much better. But, after a short thought, she decided on a method.

"Let me into your mind, and read your memories. That is the only way."

Ash thought about it for a moment, before nodding. If she needed to see his memories, so be it. He gave an acquiescing nod, and bowed his head.

Latias stared for a moment, and continued her glare. "If I find you're not who you say you are, I'll kill you then and there."

Ash blinked nervously, but after a moment, nodded, wondering when Latias got so... severe.

Latias' eyes began to glow blue, and, without warning, Ash's life ran past his eyes.

**-His eighth birthday-**

**-"Pikachu!"-**

**-Failing to save Pikachu from Mewtwo's pokeballs-**

**-And then, another Tauros-**

**-Lugia's back-**

**-Being told he made a cute couple with May-**

**-Charizard catching him-**

**-A single half ribbon-**

**-"He's part Mankey"-**

**-"Biiiiiiii~!"-**

**-Altomare in the distance-**

**-"Hey, you leave her alone!"-**

**-"We're trying to prevent a fashion statement."-**

**-"That was a dirty trick!"-**

**-"Hey, are you ok?"-**

**-"This is the defense mechanism of Altomare!"-**

**-"It looks like Latias made a new friend."-**

**-"Hey, give that back!"-**

**-Aerodactyl flying for them-**

**-Latias rubbing her head against his cheek-**

**-"Latios gave his life-"-**

**-Latios-**

**-And, as Latios-**

**-"Latios has the ability to si-"-**

**-Lat-**

**-And, without warning, Latias leaned in and kiss-**

**-Ash replacing the last gem in the ocean temple-**

**-slowly sinking-**

**-"Ash, I believe in you!"-**

**-losing to Tobius-**

**-And, then Arceus-**

**-Dialga-**

**-Zorark then le-**

**-"Pikachu!"-**

**-And, the man pulls a gun-**

**-"I think I'll call you Ash."-**

**-"You know, I haven't been claimed... and, while you're young, I think we'd make beautiful-"-**

Ash almost fell to the ground as he was pulled back out of his own mind, and reflexively rubbed his head. It felt like a strange mix of malleable putty, and jiggly jello, all at the same time. He glanced up, and saw Latias sitting there, looking completely gobsmacked. She didn't make a single movement, say a single word, or do anything but stare in surprise at nothing in particular for almost a minute. But, when she did finally react, her expression changed from shocked, to absolutely _furious._

Before either of them could react, She shot forward, and Ash reared back in reflex, but before he knew it, she had to pinned to a tree.

And, to his ever greater surprise, he found that she was roughly kissing him. Ash couldn't help but sit there, completely unsure what to do, and unable to speak, for obvious reasons. From the side, Pikachu simply sat there, jaw dropped, staring at the pair in sheer bewilderment.

After a couple seconds, Ash tried to lift a arm, but it was quickly pinned by Latias' own. She growled lowly, as if daring him to try something, and started to bite his lip, making him wince. She continued to kiss him, and his lips began to tingle, but, before he could run out of breath, she let go, and he hit the ground like a sack of hammers. He panted a couple seconds, but, before he could recover or formulate a reply, Latias claimed his ear with her teeth.

"Aff! Wo ah da bippst ibit I epr mep!" She growled out, and Ash couldn't help but yelp in pain. She held his ear for a couple seconds, before letting go, and letting loose a very loud and admittedly deranged sounding growl, before floating over to Pikachu with a fire in her eyes. "You! Why didn't you keep him safe!?"

Pikachu still hadn't recovered from his utter astonishment, and only managed to look at her blankly.

Latias growled again in anger, and instead turned back around, and glared at Ash. "And you! Do you have a death wish? I've never seen anyone risk their lives more pointlessly! You have people who care, Damnit!"

Ash didn't respond. He was, admittedly, still in shock from the kiss and bite combo.

Latias put her claws up to the side of her head, and held it in anger for a moment, before taking several deep, calming breaths. The pair of shocked pokemon simply stared, and, after a minute, she seemed to find her balance. "Ash."

She moved slowly towards him, and he almost flinched when she stopped only a foot away. Ash stared for a moment, and, without warning, Latias leapt forward and grabbed him tightly, holding him close with her arms. "You really scared me."

She sat there for a second, holding him, before letting go, and backing up. "Wait here. I will return with food. And Pikachu, keep him from trouble for, I don't know, five minutes? Can you manage that?""

Pikachu gave a slow nod, and Latias sighed. "Very well. I will return shortly." She then turned, and exited the grove. After a moment, Pikachu's mind caught up with current events.

"What the hell just happened?

And, while Pikachu sat there, baffled, Ash had a different thought. "Was that... Oran berries?"

* * *

Latias managed to get outside the garden, before the complete weight of her previous actions came crashing down, and she hit her head off of a wall in sheer exasperation. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did you do that?"

She took a couple deep breaths, and slowly rubbed her face, recalling her actions. She just...kissed him. No warning, no consent, just, pin him to the tree, and make out with him.

'No,' she reminded herself, 'I claimed him.'

She wasn't working by human laws, but Lati. And Lati laws were much more irritating.

Latias growled lightly, and clenched her claws. She knew that, over the past year, her temper had been getting worse, but she honestly didn't know it was that bad. If she thought she'd claim Ash in a fit of rage, she'd have found a way to deal with her temper much more efficiently. 'Ok,' She told herself, 'just go over what happened.'

Alright, Ash is here. And he is now a Latios, for some unknown reason. That was good. And, immediately upon finding out that he was, in fact, Ash, she gave him a big rant about how stupid he was, after losing her temper and kissing him, instead of treating him as someone who has saved the world twice as many times as she had ever left the city. That was bad.

Oh, and she apparently claimed him, right in front of Pikachu. That was terrible, but, on the bright side, it was extremely unlikely that Pikachu didn't know what a claim even entailed, or how it was done. Or, heck, what it even was.

But, when he found out, and, frankly, he would, there would be no real way to deny her intent behind it. An extremely intimate act, done in front of the guy's best friend. Might as well have Bianca make a painting of it, and hang it in his mother's living room. It would go good, right beside her stuffed pelt, once his mom finds out and guts her.

She'd seen his memories of her, and frankly, she didn't blame him for fearing her.

Latias let loose another exasperated sigh, and shook her head. Tomorrow was going to be nothing but damage control, she could tell. Hopefully, she hadn't already destroyed it beyond repair.

* * *

Ash eventually regained his senses. Sure, it took a while, due to the already large amounts of stress and exhaustion, but, when he finally came to, the first thing he did was put his claws up to his lips, and blush bright enough to be mistaken for a Latias. "I, er, did she, um, eh!?"

He then slumped up against the tree Latias had pinned him to, and put his head in his claws. "Why?"

Pikachu, on the other hand, had plenty of time to recover. He instead found himself worrying on the connotations of what this meant. He knew Latias liked Ash, and frankly, he knew Ash was at least fond of Latias. Heck, normally, he was sure that if they were put in the same room, and left them alone for a week, they'd be together by the end anyway, as long as Latias wasn't too shy, and Ash too dense.

But now? He hadn't the slightest. He lazily glanced over to his partner in a sick mix of amusement, sadness, and exhaustion. This was either gonna end really good, or really bad.

"Hey Ash, are you... well, no, that's obvious. Let's go with, are you ok?"

Ash immediately gave his starter a glare that could melt tungsten, and gave a growl along with it. Pikachu blinked, and shook his head. "I'll take that as a Hell no."

The young dragon nodded, and let loose a large sigh, and leaned further into the tree he was slumped against. He sat there for a moment, and after a moment, managed to piece together a sentence. "Pikachu? What just happened?"

"Well, I think you're gonna be a father." The starter lightheartedly joked. Ash immediately gave him another glare, and Pikachu sighed. "Alright, too soon, I get it... Well, All I remember is her kissing you, giving you a hug, and leaving. Said something about food. So, we got that going for us. But, other than that, no clue."

Ash sighed, and laid back down. He then leaned up a bit, and tiredly looked at his starter. "Hey Pikachu? Did Latias seem... colder to you? Well, before she flipped out, anyway?"

Pikachu rolled his eyes. "No, I thought she was cheerier than last time."

The young dragon raised his eyebrow. Pikachu always got like this when he was tired. Never a straight answer with him. "So, think something happened?"

Pikachu shrugged. "Ash, something _did_ happen, and we were there for it. I mean, Latias lost her brother, and then you had to leave a week later. Admittedly wasn't our cleanest goodbye, either. We probably should've stayed longer."

"So, are you saying this is our fault?"

The electric type sighed. In all honesty, Latias wasn't the most stable girl before she lost her brother. Leaving so soon, after becoming her closest friend couldn't have helped her. "Maybe. She was a year younger than you when this all happened to her, and I don't think you weren't ready for it either, and you barely knew the guy. You had trouble sleeping for weeks, and you knew Latios for, what, five hours? What do you think Latias went through?" Pikachu said unhappily. He sighed, and slumped onto his back. "She's probably pretty unbalanced. She was really clingy with you before we left. Probably was using you as a crutch."

Ash groaned, and did the same. "So, what should we do?"

Pikachu sighed. Why did they always somehow get in the middle of all these problems? "Heck if I know, I'm not a poke-psychologist. In the end, it's your choice, Ash."

The young Latios sighed, and shook his head. She liked him, and was a close friend. And he screwed up, and hurt her. How could he make that up?

Wait, she liked him. Like liked him. "I think... I'll give her a chance."

Pikachu blinked, and scratched his head. What kind of chance? "Wait, a chance as in, you know, staying here?"

Ash gave Pikachu a shrug, and a light blush formed on his cheeks. "I meant the... you know, other way."

The starter had to think for a moment to get what he meant. "Wait, you mean... Huggy huggy stuff? Really?"

"Yeah." To be honest, I... I think I always thought... well, maybe."

Pikachu blinked. "Wait, what? Ash, you're running off of two nights of no sleep. Let's just calm down, and get some sleep in you before we decide anything."

Ash blushed a bit. "I always thought she was kinda cute. Plus, she was the only one interested..."

Pikachu shook his head in exasperation, and flopped onto his back. "I'm still trying to figure out how you went from asking if we want to stay, to settling down, and getting a mate. And even then, you do realize that literally ever girl you've traveled with wanted to date you, right? You have literally the pick of the crop."

Ash stared for a minute, and blinked. "What, really?"

"Yes. And that Latias from before, Yackey sack, or whatever, was checking you out too."

Ash blinked. "Wow..."

"Ash, you're as dense as a Regirock, and the universe seems to see to it that you will remain so. And, right now, You're being... weird. Can we just, I don't know, calm down, and think?"

Ash grumbled a bit, and sighed. "What I say wrong?"

Pikachu just rubbed his face unhappily, and sighed. "Ash, just... Have you listened to yourself?"

"Umm... no?" Was Ash's uncertain reply.

Pikachu raised a very tired eyebrow. "Obviously."

Ash nodded perhaps a bit too quickly. "All I'm saying is that I knew that she was the only one I knew was interested!"

"Because of the kiss."

Ash nodded again. "Yeah!"

Pikachu rubbed his eyes, and grumbled unhappily, much like his trainer did not moments ago. "Fine, fine. Just wake me up when Latias gets here. I'll think of some baby names later. Maybe, when I wake up, we'll actually do some thinking, without using a certain part of our bodies." Pikachu then padded over to his trainer's side, and nestled himself in it, ignoring his body's fervent protests. "Goodnight."

Ash just rolled his eyes. "Good night, Pikachu."

And then, Pikachu, and, almost immediately after, his trainer, both passed onto the realm of sleep.

* * *

"Pikachu, wake up."

The electric starter woke almost immediately. The voice wasn't loud, or angry, or even desperate. And yet... His body felt compelled to obey. He blearily opened his eyes, and shook his head weakly, trying to quickly rid it of sleep. "I'm up, I'm up. Whatchya need?"

After taking a moment to compose himself, he looked tiredly around, and found himself looking at the expecting face of Latias. "Latias? Ugh... What time is it?"

"It is just before Dawn."

Pikachu rubbed at his eyes with a paw, and sighed. Or course it was. He didn't respond immediately, and instead stretched himself a bit, before looking back to Latias. "How long have we been asleep?"

"An hour. I normally would have let you rest, but we need to talk."

Pikachu blinked, and stretched himself a bit more, before snuggling further into Ash's side and giving the dragoness a curt nod. "Oh yeah,we do. And, seeing as Ash is asleep, I can actually say what I want, instead of dancing around the facts."

Latias gave the starter a curt nod, and floated off. "That is precisely why I woke _you_. Now, let us go." She only managed to get fifteen feet away, however, when she noticed that Pikachu didn't follow. "Are you coming?"

Pikachu gave the legendary a shake of the head. "Nah. Ash is all warm, and I'm comfy. Besides, he's is a heavy sleeper. We'd have to have a screaming match to wake him up. And we're not gonna have one of those, right?"

Latias raised an eyebrow, but gave him a nod. The mouse was surprisingly subtle. She would almost smile, but she had more important things weighing on her mind. "Very well. First of all, I wished to ask you about your plans. Are you intending to stay for a long length of time? Or, are you just stopping by?"

Pikachu thought for a moment, recalling Ash's previous statement, before giving a small shrug. She didn't need to know that. At least, not yet. "Ya know, I'm not really sure. Ash said he wants to stay a bit, but, to him, a bit could be a week, or the three month wait before the indigo league starts."

Latias nodded, and quietly let out the breath she was holding. That didn't answer her most pressing question, but it gave her hope. "Alright. I insist that you share my bedding area with me. In all actuality, I don't trust the other Latias to leave Ash alone, nor do I trust them not to use you as a quick snack if they catch you sleeping. None are allowed in my bedding space without my permission, and taking something from there is even worse. You will be safe."

The electric type nodded, and gave the legendary a small smile. "Alright. Thanks, I guess. But, I don't think that's all you wanted to say."

Latias nodded. Now for the hard part. "Yes, you are right. I wished to sincerely apologize for my previous behavior."

Pikachu looked over to Ash's sleeping face, and back to Latias, his light frown barely visible in the moonlight. He didn't do much else for a moment, before he stood up, and ventured over to the young dragoness. "You know, I'm pretty sure that you'll have to ask Ash for that, not me."

Latias sighed, and nodded. "I know. But, I'm starting with you."

The starter smiled a bit at that, and nodded. "Alright, but, as I said. But, now I got something to say. I actually had this big rant set up, to yell at you, but... I kinda forgot it when I was asleep. So! I am gonna just... wing it, alright? Sorry if it sucks, but, what can ya do?"

Latias raised her eyebrow slightly, but nodded. "Very well. I will hear what you have to say."

Pikachu looked up to the moon, and began. "Now, I thought about this a bit after you left, and this really isn't the rant, but... Ash is the most important thing I have. He's my trainer, father, brother, and son, all in one. He's... really all I got. And, don't take this as a complaint. Ash is enough. And, as I said, he is extremely important to me. If you do anything to hurt him, I will hurt you. I will burn and salt your fields, take everything you love, all that stuff. You understand?"

Latias nodded, wearing a small frown. "Yes."

Pikachu sighed, and gave the icy Latias a nod. "I got more... Just, let me compose it. And, if I'm gonna tell a story, I'll do it right."

Pikachu then took a deep breath and gathered himself, before looking fondly over to his current pillow, a sleeping Latios. He smiled, and looked back to Latias. "Alright. I think I got it. Once upon a time, Me, and more importantly, Ash, got tired. Now, that's normal for most, but for Ash, this was a first. He had always been somewhat restless, and he never really liked slowing down. So, when Misty and Brock both asked Ash if he wanted to go to some Island, being so close to the end of his journey through Johto, that when he agreed, we were all surprised. So, because of the fact that Ash agreed, we immediately went on a vacation to the island of Altomare. Pretty place, I thought you should visit sometime."

Latias continued to stare blankly, the gears in her mind turning. Pikachu smiled sadly at the loss of his joke, and continued. "So, we go to this island. And, remember, Ash was tired. He went through a lot that year, He saved the world once, and Johto twice, with Lugia, the Unknown, and Celebi all endangering the world in their own special way. But Ash, being who he was, saved them all, and kept everyone safe. So, he ventures through Altomare, and spots a young girl, being attacked by a pair of Team Rocket members, Annie, and Oakley."

Latias didn't really outwardly react, and Pikachu ignored her. "So, Ash, uncaring for his own safety, as Ash really likes doing, jumps into the fray, and saves her, with my help. The girl gives him a smile, and runs off, but not before leading us to our friends, which was nice of her, I guess. Ash, however, feels conflicted. Why was this girl attacked? So, when he sees a girl that looks like her, he immediately gives chase. But, he finds out, that the girl is not the one from before, and she yells at him. But, undeterred, or completely bull headed, not sure which, Ash continues his search for the girl he saved. And, he finds her."

Pikachu scooted slightly closer to Ash, and patted him lightly with his paw. "Turns out, this girl is a pokemon, the legendary Latias. She was kind, and friendly, and, if I had to choose a word to describe her, bubbly. Happy. Cheerful. Almost literally anything but what you're being right now. And, this bubbly, cheery, happy girl gives Ash something few have given him freely. Friendship."

Latias couldn't help but look surprised at this, and opened her mouth to speak, but Pikachu interrupted her. "You see, while Ash had made many friends on his travels, but almost all of them had a reason. They wanted him to win them a race, to replace their bike, to save their pokemon, to just... get away. And, while their friendship wasn't any lesser, nor was it any weaker than the friendship that was freely given, the boy couldn't help but long for the friendship that he didn't feel he needed to actively earn. Silly, and, to be honest, completely pointless, but I think he earned the right to be selfish in that."

"But this girl, she asked for nothing. Sure, he already saved her, but that was freely given, and her friendship mirrored that. At least, it did to him."

Pikachu then looked over to Latias for a moment, contemplating his choice of words. After a moment, he found them. "So, Latias, I have a question. What happened?"

Latias couldn't help herself as she gave the electric type a blank stare. She had been distracted by his story, however short, and the completely unexpected question broke her facade a little. "What do you mean?"

Pikachu continued to pet his sleeping trainer's neck, but his eyes met nothing but hers. "I'm not very old, ya know. But I have experienced more than most. I have helped save the world tons of times, fought gods, and spat in the face of every single one of the great sins personified. And yet, rarely have I seen someone go from being Kind, loving, and cheerful, to seemingly apathetic, territorial, and colder than Kyurem's ice."

"I know why you kissed Ash like that. We both know. A random Latias had tried to take what you think is yours. And, honestly, she no right doing what she did, and that someone trying to do that to Ash bothered you immensely. Hell, it bothered me a ton, and I'm sure that, if I got any decent amount of sleep anytime soon, I _will_ have nightmares of what could have happened, had Norman not interfered. But frankly, we both also know that you never used to think of Ash as yours. So, again, what happened?"

Latias sat there quietly for a moment, and her eyes floated past the frowning electric type, and passed onto to the sleeping dragon. She sat in complete silence for a moment, before finally formulating a reply. "Alright, Pikachu. You told me your story. So, now I'll tell _you_ one."

"Once upon a time, there was a young dragon. She was, while not unhappy, content. She lived all her short life in the city of Altomare, with her brother, and their two caretakers. She wasn't all that old, nor was she all that experienced. In fact, she hadn't even reached her twelfth birthday. So, she, who knew so little of the world, and knew less of the ones that lived in it, found herself longing for something."

She looked over to Ash, who slept quietly. "Because, in the end, she had no real friends. Sure, she knew Bianca, but she was more her brother's friend, and, they were close. She watched often in the distance, as they spent time together, and grew jealous. Sure, she had a few pokemon she spent time with, but they neither had the free time, nor the same likes, as the young lati. She grew lonely, and, while not unhappy, she found that she longed for a friend of her own."

"And then, She saw Ash. She could almost feel it in her gut, that, for whatever reason, this boy would be important to her. So, she watched him. But, when she left to go home for dinner, she was attacked by a pair of _monsters_. But, before anything could happen to her, this young boy, the one who she felt would be special, saved her."

She couldn't help but smile lightly at this.

"And this was were she made her first mistake."

Pikachu cocked his head, and frowned. "What do you mean?"

Latias sighed, and looked toward the brightly shining moon. "Ah, it's cliche, but she fell in love."

Pikachu simply blinked.

"The young girl fell in love with the gallant knight that saved her. She didn't know it at the time, as she was just taking her first steps into the deep end of the pool. So, she leads him back, all while plotting on how to bring her new "friend" home without her brother finding out, because he was protective, far more protective than she wished. And so, without any real options, she leaves the boy, and decides to sneak him into the sanctuary, simply by offering to cover her brother's watch, so he can go spend time with Bianca. Who, may I add, was so close to him that the girl couldn't tell if there would be wedding bells at some point. The brother agrees happily, and her plan is set in motion."

"Once her brother is gone, she quickly finds her object of affection, and leads the boy back to her home, and tries to play. Thing got worse, then better, and, after playing for a while, Ash leaves. The girl is ecstatic, finally, a friend she can have as her own, one that cares for her, not her position, nor her ability to feed them. But, the pair of monsters, in the night, break into her home, and kidnap her brother and attempt to do the same to her, but, through sheer luck and her brother's protective streak, she managed to escape. But, they then steal the most important item the pair of siblings had, the Soul Dew."

"She goes to the one person that could help, the knight that saved her before. The pair end up saving her brother, but, in the struggle, and with the foolish humans lack of knowledge, the Soul Dew is destroyed. So, her brother, the one constant in her life, dies, so he can become the next Soul Dew, to maintain the balance of the eight, and, more importantly, keep the city they lived in, and loved, alive. She found herself totally alone, and, although she knew this was coming, the one who she cared for, the friend she made, had to leave as well. He promised to visit someday, but left. And, then, when she was all alone, more Lati came."

Pikachu frowned a bit, but said nothing. "They entered Altomare, and asked for a place to live. But, as it was _her_ territory, as guardian, she would be their leader. It's funny, Lati law is so much like humans, and yet, so different. But, anyway, fresh off of losing the two people she cared the most for, she becomes responsible for a few Lati. And, quickly, a few become ten, and ten became twenty. Twenty, forty. Forty... hundreds. She became responsible for making sure they were all fed, that they all had the best places to sleep, and to make patrol routes, like her brother did, for all the new Lati to use, to protect the city, and, just as importantly, the Soul Dew. Now, she had a massive amount of responsibility, where she previously had none. Now, she had countless suitors, when her heart was already given to another. And now, she learned the consequences of being raised by humans. She knew nothing about being a lati, besides how to fight, fly, hunt and hide."

She sat down for a moment, and said nothing. The pair of awake pokemon sat there, for a moment, before Pikachu spoke. "And?"

Latias frowned, and looked down to the electric type. "And, what? You want the rest of the story?"

Pikachu nodded. "Sure."

"Well, too bad. You haven't earned it."

Pikachu couldn't help but stare at her, slightly insulted. "What!? What do you mean, I haven't earned it?"

Latias sighed, and shook her head. "You, Pikachu, expect too much. We may have been friends, maybe, be only just. I bonded close with Ash, not you, and you will need to _earn_ my story. It is mine, and, to be 'frank', it's all I truly have anymore, beyond my status and the Soul Dew."

The electric mouse frowned, and sighed unhappily. "Fine then. So, what is your intentions with Ash?"

The Lati frowned. "I did say I loved him, didn't I?"

Pikachu sighed unhappily, and shook his head. "You know, Ash won't just roll over for you. Guy's a teddy bear, but he isn't one to just roll over when told."

The dragoness' mouth turned slightly upward. "I know. I knew that from the beginning."

The starter rolled his eyes, and stopped scratching his trainer's neck. "Well, Cool story, bro. My advice? Put that human-raised upbringing to use. Court him, ask him out, whatever. Ash was born and raised a human, he'll understand that better than biting his ear to claim him as yours."

"That is not how one claims another."

Pikachu shrugged. He always did say that he knew little about dragon-types. "It is for most, but I guess every pokemon is, in fact, different in some way. Then what was the whole ear biting thing?"

She sighed unhappily, and spoke to Pikachu in what sounded to be a extremely practiced tone. "That is how Lati show their displeasure to their loved ones. Mates, claimed, offspring."

"And which one is he?"

Latias didn't really respond, and simply ignored the statement. She couldn't really answer, and frankly, she didn't want to. "Pikachu, why did you tell me the story?"

The electric starter looked back over to Ash, and smiled again. "Because, Ash would like you to be happy. And, to make you happy, we need to find out why you're unhappy. That, and I literally made it up as I went along."

Latias gave the electric type a glare. "You wish to know why I'm unhappy? I believe I already told you. I lost my brother, lost Ash, and gained far more responsibility beyond my will. Is that not enough reasons to be unhappy?"

Pikachu shook his head. "Maybe, maybe not. Just because a Lion is angry doesn't mean it has a thorn in it's paw."

Latias stared for a moment, before sighing heavily. "Very well. But, my intentions are clear. I desire to court, claim, and make Ash my own, and make myself his. Any objections?"

Pikachu put a paw to his chin, and made an exaggerated thinking pose. "Hmmmm... yes."

The Dragoness frowned, and looked at Pikachu. "Is it that I am now a closed off, cold,_ utter bitch_ of a Latias?"

"Those aren't the words I would use, but, sure, why not?"

Latias raised an eyebrow. "And what would you use?"

Pikachu smirked. "I would've used cow instead of Bitch. _Novia_ was a Bitch."

"So, you think I'm an utter cow?"

Pikachu shook his head. "Not really, but it sounds funnier."

And, for a short moment, Latias couldn't help but snort a bit in amusement. Pikachu smiled a little, and pushed forward. "So, who said that to you?"

The young Latias actually gave a bittersweet smile at that. "A suitor who I denied."

"Is that suitor a part of the story?"

Latias snorted at the idea. "No, he is not even a footnote. And yet, it was what he called me that stuck. If anything, it gave me something to work with."

"What do you mean?" Pikachu inquired.

"I mean, it gave me a persona. I could be a utter frozen bitch that no one would approach."

Pikachu frowned a bit, and decided that this was a good spot to end it. "Ya know, that won't help you with Ash."

Latias smiled faintly, and nodded. "I know."

The starter gave a exaggerated yawn, before laying down beside Ash. This had been an interesting talk. "So, I'm gonna go back to sleep now, unless you need more?"

Latias shook her head. "No. I will reti- er, rest, as well."

Pikachu was about to close his eyes, But Latias stopped him. "Oh, and, so you know? Tomorrow, when we wake, Ash _is_ _**Mine, and mine alone**_."

The electric type nodded, and just rolled over. "Just don't screw it up."

He then closed his eyes, but he opened them immediately afterwards.

"Wait, where the hell will I be?"

* * *

**A/N So, here's the next chapter. I think I'm starting to remember how to do this writing thing! Thank Luna, I thought I was gonna have to relearn everything...**

**Either way, here's the next chapter!**

**Oh, and, so you know, Latias said "Ash, you are the biggest idiot I've ever met!"**

**... I may have been reading psychology books. If this chap is a little too... off, I can change it. But, I was trying for an actually damaged Latias, one who is somewhat obsessive, anti-social, and somewhat... territorial. That bit was also based off of dragon lore, of dragons who were possessive and territorial, and would viciously claim what was seen as theirs. But, I may have put too much into it.**

**Although, with the rewrite, I don't know how applicable that is. Eh, still might be a concern.**

**If you think I should simplify it, just say it, and I can. Or, add another 5k words, and make it less packed. **


	10. The princess of Altomare

**A/N Alright, a brand new chapter! Um, so you know, this chapter was cut into thirds. This chapter was supposed to be all of day one in Altomare, plus extras, but, instead, Just the intro to the day got up to 10k words. So, I decided to chop it up a bit instead, and simply post them when I get them finished. Hopefully they doesn't seem too sudden with the chapter endings.**

**Also, this is now the longest story I have ever written! Yay~!**

**Kinda-Updated on September 15th, because I had enough time to actually do something about it.. **

* * *

Ash was a pain to wake up.

Always. It was a fact of the universe. In fact, most agreed that one had a better chance of waking the dead on their first try then they would trying to wake Ash in a single go, and frankly, after nearly two full days of no sleep, Ash was proving himself particularly unmovable.

Luckily, Latias had a great bounty of patience. It came with the territory. But, even with her great skill in the art of waiting, she was nearing the end of her rope. "Ash. Wake up. It's been ten hours."

It had. Honestly. It was nearing two in the afternoon, and while she was no early riser herself, the other Lati would have taken notice by now. It was just a matter of time before someone was sent to make sure she wasn't sick or dead.

However, all the blue dragon did was snore loudly in response, and roll over, giving a heartwarming coo after finding a more comfortable position. She couldn't help but feel a mixture of amusement and adoration at the noise, but she still needed to wake him up. She had things to do, places to be, and he was kinda important to all of them. Taking the male on what most would call a date would be impossible, if the male wasn't there, with her, on said date.

Never mind the fact that, even if she were to go and do the things she could without him, she couldn't just leave him here, like this. There was going to be someone sent from somewhere, be it the guard patrols, the hunters, or, heck even the council. One of them would get impatient, or need something, and the first place they would check would be her sleeping area. If they found Ash, a seemingly unknown Latios, sleeping in her bedding area without her there, he'd either be attacked or, at the very least, restrained until she sorted it out. Unless they bothered to check for her claim, which, if they did, would be even worse, for several reasons. She still would need to explain that to him later.

He needed to at least be conscious. She could use that.

She called his name again, and, just like the last time, he simply gave a loud snore, and rolled over again. Latias felt her eye twitch; She was pretty sure he did that one on purpose. Latias gave a sigh in exasperation, and decided to give Ash a poke in the cheek instead. He clearly wasn't reacting to her voice, so maybe she needed to prod him out of bed. He grumbled and furrowed his brow in irritation, before weakly flailing a limb at her to make her stop. The young dragoness felt a small pang of genuine amusement at his reaction.

She poked him again, and he moaned unhappily, and swung again at her hand. She quietly glanced to Pikachu, who was still dead to the world, and got an idea. Poking seemed to work, at least a little. And it was fun. Maybe she should just continue poking him. She smiled slightly, and gave one last look at Pikachu, just to make sure he was still asleep. She didn't want any witnesses.

Once she was sure the mouse was still unconscious, a light blush crossed her face, and she brought both her arms up, and gave the male a small grin. If he didn't want to wake up, he would pay the consequences.

She immediately started quickly poking Ash in the face with both limbs in rapid succession.

Ash quickly snorted, and started desperately swatting at her delving claws, before finally giving in and blearily opening his eyes. "Huh?"

Latias couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at his abrupt awakening. But, her attempt got her what she needed. She quickly pulled her claws back, and quickly schooled her expressions into one of cool indifference, before turning it back into a weak, cool smile. "Good morning."

The male stared at her in confusion for a second, before forcing himself to sit up. He had almost forgot that he fell asleep in Altomare, and that he was with Latias. He shook his head a bit; he had been having some strange dreams. Not uncommon, but this one was weird in the fact that it _didn't_ involve talking food. He opened his mouth to talk, but closed it almost immediately after. Oh yeah. Altomare. Latias. Kiss. He quickly put all he had to not erupt into a bright blush. He failed.

"Mornin'."

Latias gave him a curt nod, and held back a smile. She couldn't help but fondly notice the blush he wore. Hopefully, it was a good blush. "So, I have plans for us today. Just you, and me."

Ash didn't immediately respond, and instead lifted his claws to his face to rub his eyes with them, if only to distract himself from the growing blush he was now sporting. It helped a bit, and after a short moment, he was confident enough to respond. "Ummm... why?"

Latias gave him a small smile, and she noted how seldom she actually did that anymore. Maybe she should try to lighten up a bit. "Well, I have to teach you how to be a Latios, after all. That is why you are here, isn't it?"

Ash blinked again, and stared at Latias. Sure, that was why Pikachu said they should've went here, but how would she-

Oh, yeah. She'd seen his memories. He felt the need to facepalm, but held it back. He was never a morning person.

Latias forced the corners of her mouth further north, and hoped that she seemed less unhappy. She truly did have all kinds of plans today, and she hoped desperately that he would enjoy them. While last night was their Reunion, today was their first time actually spending time together in two years, and she hoped that, after the disaster that was last night, she could make it count. That, and make sure that her previous actions didn't completely screw her over. "Regardless, I have to notify the other Lati of my plans. I... I would've gathered some breakfast, but frankly, I was unable to leave you alone, while you slept. There is still plenty of Oran berries on the bush, though. Feel free to eat your fill."

Latias then turned around, and gave Ash once last fond glance. "If anyone stops by and asks why you are here, refer them to Amien. He knows the basics of the situation, and just saying his name will help you get out of trouble. He's well trusted by most."

Ash blinked at her last statement, and watched as she hovered out of the small clearing. He honestly didn't expect her sudden leave of absence, but, after a moment, he accepted it. After all, if his memories of last night were genuine, then she was in charge of hundreds of Lati. She probably had a ton of responsibility.

Didn't mean he liked being left alone so suddenly, though. But, he understood the need for it.

At least he still had Pikachu. "Pikachu! Breakfast~!"

The electric starter didn't really respond, and Ash grinned. It wasn't often that Ash got to wake up his starter, and he loved the chance to get back at him. But how should he do it? He didn't know much that wouldn't hurt him a ton, and he slept like a rock. There wasn't much he could do, short of drop-

Ash suddenly grinned, and floated over to his starter. He took a deep breath, and gently wrapped his claws around the electric type.

_**"PIKACHU! WE'RE GONNA FALL!"**_

Ash then threw his starter up into the air. Pikachu immediately yelled in surprise, and... continued shooting upward. Ash stared for a moment, staring in surprise, before shooting skyward after his starter.

* * *

"-You are the biggest, stupidest, most... most..."

"Airheaded idiot?" Ash finished, letting loose a sigh. He said sorry, what more could he do?

"Yes!" The angry electric type yelled. "I mean, really? You just... threw me! What would've happened if you didn't catch me?"

Ash scratched his head. "I... Don't know. I mean, you made a really good distance. You might have made it to the ocean..."

The starter scowled, and shook his head. "Ash, at several hundred feet, I would've prefered landing on concrete."

The young dragon sighed, and shook his head. "Sorry..."

"But seriously, you are such a-"

Ash let loose another sigh. This was gonna be a while.

* * *

Latias moved with a purpose. She would've thought that, seeing as she was more of a direct supervisor, rather than a distant one, that the members of her herd would've gotten used to her presence. But, they still looked at her in surprise and confusion every time she passed, as if Mew herself had decided to take a stroll through Altomare.

She was used to it, though. Sure, she was an emotionally distant leader, but she was still there when they needed her. She took her duties seriously. Very seriously. In fact, beyond her brother's... _anniversary_, this would be the very first day off she ever requested. Ash truly did have a way of making change.

But first off, she needed to find the council. They were usually around The center of the sanctuary, near what the "sanctum" or whatever the normal Lati called it. They tended to be directing the hunting groups, or approving of patrol routes at this time of day. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long to find them.

"Milady?"

Latias' ears perked, and she couldn't help but sigh in relief. Of course _he_ of all pokemon would be the first to spot her. She turned around, and quickly found herself looking at the closest thing she had to a extremely overbearing butler. "Hello, Lorip."

The elderly Latios bowed a bit in respect, his semi-transparent body seemingly fading in and out of existence. Latias gave the elder a light, yet genuine smile. She did care for the older Shade, she did, but he was so... fanatical. She could do no wrong in his eyes, and everything she said, might as well be the order of Arceus itself, and was to be treated as such. "I have an announcement, could you please acquire the rest of the council, or my advisers, or whatever they're called nowadays?"

Lorip seemingly returned the smile, and gave the young legendary a happy nod, and spoke in his deep voice. "Of course, Milady. I will bring them post haste." He immediately disappeared without as much as a shimmer, and Latias sighed. He would find all of them, easily. So, she might as well go to the meeting area.

She quietly turned and made her way to what everyone called the meeting room, if a gazebo could even be considered a room. She never understood why the herd named everything like they did, but at least it helped tell one part from another.

She entered mindlessly; she had been in this room countless times, and frankly, she had grown quite used to it. She didn't even pause as she circled around the great stone table in the middle, and sat down in her spot. She did, however, run a claw down the stone surface fondly. She recalled when the table was crafted; Lorip had searched far and wide, without her knowledge, to get her a table "worthy" of her... stature. All he found was a quarry. So, he made it work. He carved it over the course of a week, and it apparently took three dozen Lati to move the thing to the sanctuary. She never understood why he did it, but she had been thankful.

And then, sitting at her spot at the great stone slab, she thought. She pondered on her ideas for Ash's education, and the small events she had around the city as well. Maybe, she'd even take him to Mario's Pizzeria. She thought back at the amount of money she gathered from her "tribute" fountain in the center of the city. It was easily enough for her whenever she had a bad day and wanted some "real" food, But Ash, in the body of a Sky-dancer? There might not be anything left afterward. Of both her money, and her favorite pizzeria.

She thought of differing ways to woo him, how to gain his attention, and different ways that she could approach the more intimate ideas, such as how Lati chose mates, became mates, and many of the more intimate bits of knowledge she held.

Unbeknownst to her as she thought on the subject of Ash, she had sat there in silence for fifteen minutes, without noticing a thing. She had barely even managed to leave the realm of her thoughts when a small group of Lati entered the area. She quickly gave them her attention, and they didn't seem to notice her previously blank stare. As the others sat down at their spots, Lorip approached her, looking unhappy with himself. "Forgive me, milady, but seven of the group are on a hunting trip, and will not be back for several hours. The other three are at the hatching of Mali's first born, and we all know how long those can take. I apologize for my inadequacy, and will accept any punishment you see fit."

Latias couldn't help but frown slightly. As she said before, he was fanatical. "There is no need, my announcement is quite basic, and the ones here will suffice."

Lorip nodded happily, satisfied with her response, and sat down, alongside the other six. Latias looked around, and counted the faces. Amien, Lorip, Merrim, Lulu, Eema, and Larry. Most of the females were gone. She sighed, they would probably be more supportive than the males in the matters she was about to encroach. "Very well, the reason I called you here was to notify you that I will be taking the day off. Possibly two."

Lorip stared at her blankly for a moment, before giving her a happy smile. "You're actually taking my advice, Milady? You have not taken a day off in the entire time the herd has been here, besides the anniversary of your brother's death. What is the Occasion?"

Latias froze. She never really thought of an official reason, and she quickly tried to think about what her reason should be. She could claim exhaustion, but, if she did, they would wish for her to take more than her requested one to two days off. Or, she could be honest, and tell them of Ash. She pondered that option for a moment. In all honesty, the instant saw Ash in public, They were would be interested parties. And, when there was interested parties, there was checks for previous claims. And, when that happened, everyone that was a Lati would know of it. Her psychic energy already will have melded with his, and hers was particularly distinct. However, she didn't really tell Ash of her claim, either. They would ask him about it, and he would give them a almighty shrug, and a "What's that?"

Wouldn't help him fit in, and it would make her seem to be abducting a human raised lati Beyond his will. Bad for both of them, even if the second part was technically true at this point.

So, it was either lie to them, and tell them that the two of them were in love, and she simply reclaimed him, or lie to Ash, deny any knowledge of a claim, and hide him from absolutely everyone, so they couldn't ask him about it, and ruin her in his eyes. Or, lie all around, and do both. She pondered, and decided that she didn't have it in her to lie to Ash. She sometimes had to bend truths for the public before, for their own good, or to prevent an mob killing due to unfortunate circumstances, but it was different, lying to the one you loved.

Issues of the heart was something she had no experience in.

"My old love has returned, and I have reclaimed him as mine. I am taking the day and possibly tomorrow off, to spend time with him and rekindle our feelings." She'd just have to tell him later today, and hope for the best.

The entire gazebo went absolutely silent, and, for a split second, it took all Latias had to not laugh at the completely gob smacked expressions of her advisers. But, after the Lati regained their wits, a single Lati shouted his irritation.

"What!?" The young Latios shouted angrily, slamming a claw into the stone table. "What do you mean, you reclaimed him!?"

Latias could have almost smiled. She had expected a reaction like this, and Merrim was always so hot headed. Although, She honestly had expected worse. Maybe a random Fire punch into her poor, poor table. Again. "What I mean, Merrim, is that I reclaimed my future mate. Is there an issue?"

Merrim grew angrier. He gave her a very heated glare, and actually bared his larger than average fangs at her, making her clench her claws in irritation at his insulting gesture. "Yes! Who is this joke of a Latios?"

Latias' internal smile, or what was left of it at this point, quickly died. While she sometimes found Merrim's brutal honesty and curtness refreshing, there was a time and a place for his anger and passion, and right here, insulting Ash, was not remotely one of them. She summoned up a soft warning glare, and spoke softly. "Someone very dear to me, Merrim."

Merrim growled in agitation, and gouged a couple scratches into the stone table with his claws. Latias made note of this. Obviously, Merrim was extremely angry, and, in any other instance, she might have made concessions, if only to prevent him from ruining her favorite table further than he already had. But, right now, all she felt was rising anger, and a overwhelming protective streak. Merrim however, either didn't notice her increasingly angry glare, or didn't care, and continued. "But how do we know he's any good? Do we know he'll be a worthy mate to our Princess?!"

Latias felt her anger reach a near melting point, and was about to get up and speak again. But, Lorip, either through intuition, or her anger being extremely obvious to him, beat her to it. "How dare you suggest that our Princess' judgment is faulty! Merrim, stand down before you say something you'll regret!"

Merrim growled at the elder, and, without thought on the consequences, continued, all while the rest of the council nervously stared at her. "But it's true! Why not have her choose someone from the herd she leads, instead of some useless, garbage outsider?"

And, for that split second, all Latias saw was red. She barely noticed when she wreathed her claw in shadow, and slammed it into the table, not even noting that a large crack had formed where she struck it. "Enough!"

And, like that, everything was silent once more. The other members of the council looked between Latias and Merrim with a copious amount of differing emotions for a moment, and Latias slowly forced herself into the air, making very deliberate movements as she moved to the male. When she was only a few feet away, she spoke, and it was lethal as it was soft. "Merrim. I have chosen Ash due to the fact that I care for him deeply. I have already rejected your multiple advances time and time again, and I have done the same for every other male who attempted to woo me, for my heart was already claimed. This matter is not up to debate, Merrim, regardless of how you seem to think it is, and, if our bond was weak enough that a mere debate would make me reconsider, I wouldn't have chosen him in the first place."

Merrim gave her a somewhat fearful look, and Latias, suddenly becoming aware of the situation, looked from him to the other advisers. They all, for the most part, looked somewhat fearful as well, and she realized what she just done. She looked down at the now severely table, and scowled angrily. This was the first time that _she_ had hit _her_ table. "You're all excused. I'm making my leave."

She then turned, and left the gazebo. But, before she was out of earshot, she turned back around, and glared at Merrim. "And Merrim? Replace or repair my table."

He gave a quick, surprised nod, and she left without another word. She had only made it fifty feet, however, when Lorip caught up with her. She gave him a simple nod, but no more. Lorip sighed, and gave a hesitant glance over to a very visibly annoyed Latias. "Milady, if I am not too bold, I must ask why you insist on keeping Merrim on your adviser's council?"

Latias stopped, and gave her temples a quick rub with her claws. She didn't expect a simple request for the day off to be so stressful. She gave a quick sigh, before looking at Lorip. The Shade was loyal, if nothing else. He didn't even mention her possible destruction of his gift. "Because he is, while hot headed and very, very misguided, kind-hearted, and truly desires the best for our people. And, sometimes, it takes passion and anger to point out what we truly need to see."

She released her grip on her temples, and gave the elderly shade a glance. "If you could, tell your twins that, under no circumstances, they are not to follow me today. I will not need any escort, and I have a desire for true privacy. If they do, I will have to punish them. Severely."

Lorip nodded hesitantly. "Are you sure, Milady? I understand the wish for privacy, and, if anyone needs to be punished for breaking orders, it's them, but they are your assigned body guards. They do well at keeping your secrets."

Latias rolled her eyes. Yes, they did keep her secrets, but they reminded her of anything and everything embarrassing they witnessed with her. If they caught whiff of any embarrassing things that happened between her and Ash, she might be forced to simply elope, and leave the city to its own devices, for they would tell her every day until the day she died. "I am sure. Ash was the one who saved me and the Soul Dew before everyone else arrived at the island after all, I am sure he will be enough to keep me safe."

Lorip looked somewhat surprised at this, and Latias gave the elderly shade a faint, but fond smile at his expression. "What, did I neglect to tell you the story of my savior?"

Lorip shook his head. "You had told me of it, but you never gave a name, nor even a species. In fact, you were hesitant to tell us much of anything about him. So, is this why you reacted so adversely to Merrim's statements?"

Latias thought back, and sighed at the reminder. That was the first time she had ever lost her temper in front of the council. "I should've kept my temper, I-"

"Reacted like any Latias would, if someone insulted your love unjustly. But you didn't answer my question, if you would."

She sighed, and looked up at the sky. She stared for a moment at the soft, fluffy clouds, and contemplated her answer. "... Yes. I loved him since the day he left, and the promise that he would return haunted my thoughts since the moment they left his lips. The fact that someone would so callously insult the one who saved me, and captured my heart, was too much."

Lorip gave the Latias a tender smile. She didn't open up but once since he met her, and that moment, like this one, was precious. Instead of speaking, he stopped for a moment, put a claw on the young Princess' shoulder, and smiled. He simply stared at her, and, after a moment, he spoke. "I remember the day I arrived in this sanctuary. It was more than two years ago. And, do you recall what I found?"

Latias gave him a surprised stare, not expecting the conversation to veer in this direction. Lorip continued, fondly looking up into the sky that Latias was staring into naught but a second ago. "I, and my two sons, found a little Latias, fresh off of losing her brother, and, apparently, her first love. And, the instant I saw her, I knew that she was destined for great, wonderful things."

Latias stared at Lorip for a second, unable to formulate a response. But, when she finally found something, Lorip held up a claw. "No words, My Princess. Your existence is reward enough." And with that, Latias felt the mood leave, and she couldn't help but simply smile, and shake her head in exasperation. The pair continued on toward the grove in silence for several moments, before Latias gave one last question. "Lorip, remind me, why is our herd set up like a Medieval kingdom?"

Lorip chuckled a bit. The young Princess asked that question several times, and he always found pleasure in thinking of a new way to give her the answer. "As I've said, it's because we need order, and, with such a diverse, all moving, all changing group, it was the best we could come up with."

Latias just shook her head in exasperation. Of course that was the reason. Last time, it was because she was their ruler, and a Princess needed a Kingdom. "Alright. I thank you for your time. I am now going to go enjoy my day with my chosen. Can you and Amiem keep the Soul Dew safe?"

Lorip nodded, and gave a deep bow. "Of course, Milady."

She turned to leave, but, before she did, she looked back to the elder. "Lorip, also... I'm sorry about the table."

Lorip simply waved a claw. "It is not of any consequence, Milady. If you didn't break it, I would've, although I don't think Merrim's face would've survived the impact."

Latias smiled a bit at the thought. Regardless of how calm she was compared to earlier, the threat of violence on Merrim still made her smile. She gave the shade a slight nod as she always did, and took off back to her grove. Regardless of what happened before, Ash was waiting for her now. Now, all she needed to do was find a way to keep Pikachu occupied and out of their hair.

* * *

When Latias returned to her grove, the first thing she noticed, to her immense displeasure, was that Pikachu was ranting angrily. She growled lightly. The Twins better not have snuck in, and spooked Pikachu. Last thing she needed was a trigger happy Pikachu shooting up her only sanctuary in justified self defense. She quickly rushed in, and, instead of finding a pair of translucent Lati and a livid Pikachu, she found a bored looking Ash, and an angry looking electric type, his back to her as he lectured Ash. Latias couldn't help but put a claw to the bridge of her nose, and sighed in complete exasperation. She leaves Ash alone for half an hour, and he ticks Pikachu off.

She floated closer to the pair, and opened her mouth to ask what happened, but, before she could say a word, Pikachu spun around, and shot a small bolt of electricity at her. She barely managed to force a psychic shield up in time, and watched in surprise as the bolt of electricity rebounded into one of her trees, leaving a large, smoking hole in it's foliage.

It was then that Ash burst out laughing, while Pikachu's expression changed into one of horror. Latias blinked again in surprise; She honestly didn't expect to get attacked by Pikachu. But, she quickly regained her center, and looked down to Pikachu. "You tried to shock me."

Latias then took a moment to recompose herself, and simply sat there. Pikachu started pelting her with apologies, and Ash continued laughing. But, after a moment, the female recovered, and gave the electric type a glare. "You blew a hole through my tree. And tried to shock me."

The electric type nodded Mareepishly, and Latias sighed. "Why?"

"Er... I'm just... my bad."

Latias raised an eyebrow, and continued staring. "Your bad? Yes, very much so. Why was it your bad?"

Pikachu scowled, and looked over to Ash. "Because he threw me a couple hundred feet into the air!"

Latias sighed, and looked over to Ash, who was still giggling. She couldn't even fathom the relationship those two had. "And why did he do that?"

Pikachu shrugged, looking somewhat irritated. "I have no idea! I was just sleeping, and he screams 'We're going down!" And just... chucks me in the air!"

Latias sighed, and rubbed her eyebrows. The one she loved, everyone. "I'm not gonna punish Ash, Pikachu, that's your responsibility. However, you will fix my tree."

Pikachu looked from the princess, to the tree, which had a large hole through it's branches, letting a large beam of sunlight in. How was he supposed to do that? "Er... Alright?"

Latias nodded. It seemed that fate was on her side today. She then gave Pikachu a disarming smirk, one that only he noticed, and continued. "And, while you're doing that, I shall be taking Ash."

That got Pikachu's attention. His ears went straight up, and he realized what just happened. Clever girl. "Wait, what?"

"I planned on taking you both, but you attacked me, and damaged my living space. Now, you will be staying behind, and Ash and I will be having all the fun."

The young male looked over to Latias in a bit of confusion, his slight surprise evident. He could have swore that she said she was going to teach him how to be a Latios, not have fun and do things. "Wait, what? Did you say fun?"

Latias nodded in acknowledgement, although the surprise in Ash's voice hurt a little. Is that how she presented herself in front of him? No wonder he was so nervous. "Yes, I can still do fun things. It's not like I became an entity who lives solely off the tears of children and the ice that resides in men's hearts."

"You've gotten really sarcastic when I was away."

Latias smirked a bit, and shook her head. In reality, she wished she could be constantly sarcastic. It'd be a great outlet for some of her stress, but most Lati were terrifyingly literal. Anyone heard her making a joke like that, and most would actually believe it. "Only with you, Ash."

She then floated out of the grove without as much as a glance at the now scowling Pikachu, and Ash, completely oblivious to his starter's displeasure, followed her. "Why only me?"

"Because, Sarcasm is usually a human thing. Most Lati wouldn't get it."

The pair quickly made their way through the sanctuary, and Ash quickly recalled just how many Lati there were here. The place was extremely lively, unlike last night, where all there was a night patrol and heaps of sleeping dragons. And what was worse, he noticed that everyone was staring at him. He looked back and forth, and, while none of the looks were seemingly negative, he couldn't help but nervously wring his claws a bit, and looked over to Latias for support. "Umm, Latias? Why are we, you know, getting so many looks?"

Latias sighed; they couldn't just ignore her for one measly day. She had hoped that maybe they'd just ignore her, but she knew better than that. "We're getting looks because you're with me. I am the leader of all these Lati, and, as such, I am often stared at."

The pair continued, and Ash continually got more nervous, as they got more and more stares. He thought that, because of his history in pokemon battles, that he would be used to people staring, but, for some reason, this was different. He hovered slightly closer to Latias, and she looked over to him. He looked... uncomfortable. She internally sighed; why couldn't the others leave them alone? "We're almost there, Ash."

Ash nodded a bit, but stayed close. And, true to her statement, the pair quickly came up onto the entrance, and Latias looked over to Ash. "I'm sorry for the attention." Ash shifted a bit, and looked at her. "It's not your fault."

Latias winced a bit. It kind of was. But, before she could ponder on her guilt, the pair stopped at the gate, and noticed a almost sleeping Latios. Latias rolled her eyes; it had only been fourteen hours. Pansy. "Kolm?"

The sleepy looking Latios looked up, and gave a blank, semi-comatose stare at the pair. "Yea- Oh, Shit!" He quickly recognized Latias, and immediately straightened up, and, for good measure, tried an awkward bow. "Yes, Milday-, er, Milady?"

Latias stared at him for a moment. The Latios always seemed to be sleeping, why wouldn't being on guard duty be any different? Regardless, she had a duty to do, before they left. "Have you learned your lesson?"

Kolm nodded wearily. He went without sleep for a full day; if anything could teach him a lesson, that would. "Yeah, no fire attacks in the veranda."

Latias sighed, and nodded. At least he knew why she had punished him. That was better than some. "And why is that?"

"Because trees burn. So, is he-"

Latias felt a pang of panic at the unformed question, and moved to interrupt him. "Good. Now, I think I'll let you off your punishment early."

Kolm sat there, looking completely surprised. Did she just... let him go? "Wait, what? Really?"

The female Lati nodded, feeling somewhat relieved that she cut him off in time. "Yes. You've caught me in a..." She glanced over to Ash somewhat nervously. "Good mood today. You're free to go. Tell Youpi that her punishment is starting, and to get to the sanctuary's entrance. Tell her that I know of her little public display yesterday afternoon, too. She's getting extra."

Kolm bowed deeply. He wore a very large grin, and couldn't help but whoop happily. "Thank you, Princess!" He almost gave her a hug, but decided against it, and instead shot off quickly, and the pair watched as he shot off into the distance. Ash shuffled awkwardly at that, and looked over to her. "Er, is he always like that?"

Latias simply shook her head. "Hyperactive? Yes. He's kind of like you that way, but, obviously less... you."

Ash tilted his head to the side in confusion. What did she mean by that? "What's that supposed to mean?"

Latias gave him a light smile, and turned her head towards the entrance. "You're kind, and passionate, loving, friendly, innocent, and happy. Regardless, we have to get going, if we're going to get actually get anything done today. You ready?"

Ash blushed a bit at the praise, but his happiness was quickly killed when he realized something. He looked at her somewhat awkwardly, and shuffled a bit, turning his gaze to the ground. "Won't I... you know, need to be invisible? I'm not really all that good at it. I can barely become see-through."

Latias raised an eyebrow, He knew how to use his invisibility already? That was impressive, seeing as he only has been a Lati for barely three days. However, that skill was not required, and she shook her head. "No. I will be using an illusion on you and me. We'll look human to others, and we'll feel human as well."

Ash grinned happily. She could do that? He knew that she could transform into a human, but he didn't know she could change him into one. "Really? You can do that?"

Latias let a ghost of a smile slip through. While she didn't like to brag, she enjoyed the surprise and amazement Ash held in his voice. It made her heart flutter a bit, and she couldn't help but perk up. "Yes. An illusion like that is simple enough for me to do. I am a changeling, after all."

The male blinked in surprise, and looked at the princess. "Changeling?"

Latias nodded. She didn't really want to try and explain this in public, but, there was no one around, and she could spare this one explanation. "Yes. You're a Sky-Dancer, and I'm a changeling. There's many different kinds of Lati, and they all are unique. I will explain more later, in private."

Before Ash could question further, Latias' eyes began to glow, and Ash felt his body, for the lack of a better word, blur. And, suddenly, with little fanfare, Ash was a human again. He felt his heart speed up, and he looked himself over. Same pants, his shirt was the one he used to wear in johto, but frankly, he didn't care much. He closed and opened his hands experimentally, and they felt... normal again. He lifted his hands up to his face, and rubbed it, and he felt soft, somewhat squishy skin, instead of the fluffy down he had for the last three days. He then lifted on hand to the top of his head, and found his hat. He gleefully took it off, and held it close, and without thought, rubbed it on his face. "Awww... Hat, I missed you." But, instead of English, the words came out in a soft coo.

Ash froze, and his smile shrunk as the realization dawned on him. He was still a Lati. In his excitement, he'd forgotten Latias' words from before.

Latias smiled sadly, and grabbed his hand, and rubbed the back of it tenderly. His face was more expressive as a human's, and she could easily tell that he was hurting. "Ash, All I can do is change how you look and feel, but nothing else. You're still a Latios, even if you don't look it. I'm sorry... but, I can't change you back. Not truly."

Ash nodded sadly, but after a short moment, his smile came back a bit. He may not be a human again, but he still felt like he was, and he would enjoy this feeling. "It's alright." Latias smiled a bit. The Ash she knew was usually happy, even during the worst of times, and she was glad to see that that hadn't changed. She gave him a somewhat happy smile and gestured with her head. "So, let's go."

Ash followed her, and the pair calmly walked through the arch of the entryway. Ash cringed as he felt the walls warp the air and matter around them, and, before he knew it, they were in the alleyway again. He glanced around, he had forgotten how pretty it was during the day. "So, where are we going?"

Latias smiled to herself. Ash was always full of questions. She simply rolled Ash's hand gently in hers for a moment, before giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. Hopefully she would succeed in her endeavour. "We are going to the park."

"The park?" Ash asked skeptically. He didn't really expect that. Maybe a trip to the museum, or maybe even a library. But a park? He awkwardly scratched his head with his free hand, and looked to Latias with confusion evident on his face. "Why are we going there?'

Latias almost gave Ash a giggle, but, instead, just smiled lightly. Ash noticed her smile, and tried to reciprocate, but her's was still... off. He found it hard to give a genuine smile when she seemed so determined to hide hers. "We are going to the park because we need to talk somewhere private, and, more importantly, far away from other Lati. Remember, Ash, to them, you were born a Lati. Even if you were raised by humans and know nothing of our kind, you need to know something about being a Lati. I don't want you to go through what I did, without at least being able to explain yourself properly."

Ash frowned, what did she go through? He squeezed her hand gently, and gave the young dragoness a stare. "What did you go through?"

Latias' tiny smile turned into a thin line. She thought a moment on what she should tell him. The truth? She pondered for a moment, before feeling her hand squeezed slightly tighter, and that gave her the answer she needed. Truth. Ash earned her honesty. "Courtings, overbearing older Lati that thought that I could be manipulated and paired off with their children to make themselves higher up in the hierarchy. Younger Lati who thought they could take advantage of my sheltered past. Even an coup attempt or two, due to some non-existent slight that some thought I gave them, due to my lack of knowledge with our... _My_ kind. Oh, and everyone looking at you like an idiot. That part sucked too."

She then started walking slowly forward, and Ash followed, all while rolling her statement around in his head. But, no matter how he thought about it, the more irritated he got. Others tried to manipulate and twist one of his friends to help themselves, and they even tried pairing her off to get what they wanted. And, while he never put much thought into that sorta thing, he knew that that was screwed up. He actually gave a light growl before catching himself, and Latias stopped, looking at him in surprise. "Ash, are you ok?"

Ash shook his head in complete disagreement. "It's-not-right."

Latias blinked in confusion, and slowed her pace a bit. "Huh?"

Ash repeated himself, albeit slower. "It's not right. No one should just... try and make people do stuff for stupid things like that. That's screwed up."

Latias stared for a moment, before nodding. "You're right, Ash, it's not right. But, it is the world we live in."

Ash gave her a nod, and gritted his teeth angrily. He didn't know why this bothered him, but the idea of someone would do something like that tormented him. Especially with someone as innocent as Latias was. "It's supposed to be a choice, you know."

The young dragoness nodded, and looked at Ash. Their walk had almost slowed to a crawl, but neither of them could be bothered. Latias felt her heart beat slowly, and she cursed her lack of words. "I know. And, as you know, I already made my choice."

Ash looked over to her, and stared. "Er..."

Latias almost chuckled, and gave him a light smile. "I'm very sure I made it obvious last night. Or, even two years ago. I can't really deny it. There's no room for shyness, when you've already given your secret."

She looked forward, and sighed. "All I can do is wait for your answer. But no pressure. You're here for at least a few days, right?"

The male blinked, before nodding numbly.

"Then you have plenty of time. And I'll wait as long as I need to. After all, I've done all _I_ can. Now, let's get somewhere private, where we could continue this."

Ash didn't really respond, simply because he couldn't think of anything to say. He didn't expect a complete admittance of her feelings, let alone a request to give his opinion on them. "Ummm... Ok."

He sat there for a moment, before a question popped up. "But... if we need privacy, why are we talking about all this in this alleyway?"

Latias didn't really respond immediately, simply because she honestly didn't have a proper response. she got caught up in their conversation, and made a mistake, one that even an embarrassed Ash could notice. Curse him, and his sudden ability to use logic. She quickly thought a way to save face, and, using two years of experience in Poke-politics, schooled her expression into a bored look. "Because, right now, there no one here to listen to us."

Ash awkwardly sat there in silence for a moment, rolling the response in his head while they slowly walked. "So, why do we need to go to the park, if this alleyway is quiet enough?"

Latias sighed. He just wouldn't give up. She thought up a answer, and spoke. "Just because I'm teaching you how to be a proper Latios, doesn't mean I'll avoid _courting_ you. I believe I already said my feelings on the matter."

Ash blinked, and tried to understand what she meant. Courting? "Er, you're suing me?"

Latias gave a bark of laughter, and shook her head. "No. How about wooing? That a better choice of words?"

The male shook his head, and she couldn't help but smile a bit. "Fine. I'm taking you on a date while I teach you how to be a good dragon."

The Sky-Dancer looked at her in surprise, and she just continued smiling. "I, er, I thought you said you'd wait!"

The female shook her head, and smiled. "Now, when did I say I'd just sit around? I said I'd wait for your_ answer_. Doesn't mean I won't try and influence what you'll say. Now, Let's get to the park. I have a full day planned, and someone didn't wake up until two in the afternoon."

* * *

Latias couldn't help herself, and sighed happily as she laid down onto the cool, crisp grass. Ash's decided to take a"shortcut", and, after a half hour, they managed to come across a completely different park than the one she planned on using. But, a park was a park, and spending time with Ash, be it in a dingy alley or a warm, sunny park was still better than anything she would normally be doing.

She sighed contently, and felt a rather nostalgic feeling. Her feet were hot. She hadn't felt that for a long time, not since her last visit to Biana's. The female gave a sigh and reached down, and, after unlacing the shoes, took the non-existent articles of footwear off, and almost immediately, she felt the cool breeze on her toes. She had forgotten how "Hot" her feet would get walking.

"Um, Latias, why did you take your shoes off?"

Latias didn't really respond as she laid back and looked up to the sky. She was content with the moment, and, especially, the company, and frankly, she didn't feel like she had to rush her answer. So, instead, she looked down at her feet, and a strange thought popped into her head. She found herself wondering what Ash's feet looked like. Felt like. Not the thought that she expected to rush through her head. She shook her head, and, fighting a blush, looked over to the male, deciding that she would rather answer his question than have to deal with her own thoughts at the moment. "My feet were hot."

Ash looked confused for a second. How could her feet be hot? "Ummm..."

Latias gave him another faint smile, and ignoring her faint blush, shook her head. "If you could feel the need to keep your pants from falling down when we ran, I can have hot feet."

Ash nodded awkwardly at this. He honestly didn't have a genuine response to that. But, it raised a completely different question. After a short moment, he decided to keep it to himself, and sat down beside her instead. "So, You want to tell me things?"

Latias nodded, and sat up a bit. She glanced down at her feet, and smiled. She hadn't done this in a long time. She looked over to Ash, and frowned internally. She could change the illusion to remove his shoes, but that would be cheating, not to mention, quite difficult. "Yes, Ash. A lot of things. But, If you have any questions-"

Before she could finish, Ash spoke. "Yes! Er, yes, umm... how far does is this illusion thing go? What can it do? And can you teach me?" Ash almost immediately grimaced. His mother would kill him if she caught him acting so rude.

Latias stared at him for a moment, before smiling again. He was cute normally, but right now, he was downright adorable. "This illusion is based off of your mind. You wouldn't be able to see through it, because, well, it's based off of your mind thinks it should be like. If your pants fell down a lot, they would do so with the illusion. Same with these shoes, my mind figures that a thick fabric covering on my soft human feet would heat them up, so it did. It's not conscious, and frankly, I don't have much control over it. But, that's only for you and me. For everyone else, I have to have an idea of what to show them, if only for uniformity. I knew what you looked like, and what Bianca looks, er, looked like, and as such, can show them what we "will" look like. Does that make sense?"

Ash nodded.

"Good. So, I could transform you into a Pikachu if you wanted, because I have an Idea what one looks, feels, and smells like. However, if you asked me to, say, make Pikachu look like as a hatchling, I couldn't do it right, because I have no idea what he looked like. It's based off of experience. I could try and improvise, but it would look rough, and disproportionate. Pikachu might be smaller, or his head far too big for his body."

Ash nodded a bit, albeit slightly grossed out, before the realization of what her response meant came to him. "So, does that mean you can't teach me?"

Latias nodded sadly. "Not truly. I can, because of my heritage, craft illusions easily, but it's mostly instinct. Just like how you can fly, dance through the air, and travel so quickly. I could fly, at tops, five hours at my fastest before I needed rest, and I don't think I'm in bad shape. You, however, don't need to practice or train for that ability. You can fly higher, farther, longer, and faster than I can, without the smallest amount of effort."

Latias flopped onto her back, and stared into the sky. What she said was the truth, she wasn't the strongest flier. She had once held dreams of Ash returning to Altomare, catching her, (With, or sometimes, even without her permission) and being made into one of his strongest battlers, and, maybe, just maybe, his main mode of transport. And, maybe, once they won the league, or elite four, Ash would give a blush filled confession, and then, they would get married.

The idea was ludicrous, to be honest. She could never leave her Brother's Soul Dew alone, nor could she trust it with anyone, besides possibly Lorip, to keep it safe. Plus, those were just girlish fantasies that she used to simply escape from the reality she lived in. And while the possibility of a confession was at an all time high, it was still unlikely. No, she had to do the wooing here, if she wanted that dream to come true. Ash wouldn't just proclaim his love, especially when he barely understood the concept of romance beyond having only one partner.

Latias hoped he knew he could only have one partner. She grimaced, and simply decided to stop her train of thought there, and relax. There was plenty of time to ponder these things, and, to be honest, she was actively doing the wooing right now. She should focus on that, rather than the past. And so, she just started to sit there, and stare blankly at the sky, watching the soft clouds go by.

Ash was doing the same, after all. And so, the pair simply sat beside each other for a moment, with not a word said. After several minutes, Latias felt her worries slowly ooze away, and all there was left was her, and Ash. She sighed happily, and, after a moment, glanced over to Ash lazily. "Ash, I'm glad we're-"

She got one good look at him, and froze. He was asleep. She felt a mix of amusement and annoyance, and settled on a scowl. She thought they were having a moment, but, instead, her dense male just fell asleep. Dead to the world. She pondered for a moment, trying to contemplate a proper response, but, after a moment, just used the one option she knew she actually had. She slowly lifted her hand, and gave him a poke in the side. However, instead of a grunt or a complaint, she got a chuckle. She froze, and stared at Ash for a moment, the cogs in her mind whirring. Was he... ticklish?

She poked him again, and he squirmed a bit and opened his eyes, but not without laughing again. Latias pondered this revelation for a moment, before deciding to do one of the most impulsive things she'd done in a long time. She quickly rolled onto her side, and thrust a delving hand into his ribs, and he almost immediately started laughing and squirming. "Lati-*ha*-as! St-*ha*-*ha*-ap!"

She continued tickling him, but, before she could react, Ash rolled over, and pinned her arms underneath his own, and straddled her. He tried to look down at her and give her a glare, but it just wouldn't work. "Ash, let me up!" Latias returned the failed glare with one of her own, and, for good measure, puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

"Nuh uh. You tickled me, So now, I'll tickle you." He quickly delved his free hand into her side and got... nothing. Latias blinked, and stated what now was obvious. "Ash, my ribs aren't ticklish."

Ash huffed unhappily. How was he supposed to tickle her if she wasn't ticklish? He quickly tried her armpit, and all he got from her was a light blush. "Ash!"

He pondered for a moment, and, then he got an idea. A terrible, awful idea. He looked down, and Latias caught him looking down at her legs. "Ash, don't you dare!" He made a move for it, but Latias stopped him, giving him a buck of her hips in retaliation, knocking him over. She quickly jumped up onto him, and pinned him, much like how he pinned her. She gave him a vindictive smile, and she sent a hand into his own armpit. He struggled in futility between laughs, and, instead of trying to remove her, decided to desperately use his height over her, and leaned up with all he had, breaking her grip on his arms, and immediately after, wrapped her a bear-hug. He quickly then rolled the pair over. He was on top again, and he looked down in triumph, only to see that his face was inches away from hers.

She stared at him for a moment, before giving him a genuine, very happy, smile. Ash blinked, and found himself staring. That was the smile she had been desperately missing since he got to Altomare, and it was just... there. He quickly found himself smiling too, and the pair just sat there. Until, that is, Ash noticed something very soft was pressed against his chest. He glanced down, and quickly made the realization. Their chests were together. Ash quickly panicked, and released her with a flourish, rolling off the girl, and leaving a very confused Latias on the ground, alone, and frankly, somewhat irritated. She couldn't bring herself to react, however, and just sat there for a moment, in complete bewilderment. 'What just happened?'

Once she got her senses back, she quickly leaned up from the ground that held her previously and looked over to the male, confusion written all over her face. Upon spotting the young Latios, however, she noticed that he was now sporting a bright red blush, and staring at the ground as if it told all the secrets of the universe. She felt her confusion double, and scooted closer to the male, who, for some reason, flinched a bit when she got close. Latias froze, and didn't make another move. Ash was, for some reason, jumpy, and because of that, this would obviously require... finesse. "Ash, you alright?"

So much for finesse. Ash continued to look desperately at the ground, and shook his head as if denying every crime ever committed by man, mer, and pokemon alike. "Sorry!"

Latias blinked, and stared. Did he accidentally hurt her? But... she wasn't hurt. She looked herself over. She wasn't bleeding, nor was she bruised or in pain. She looked over to the male, and sighed. Maybe this was a human thing. "Ash, what's wrong?"

The male shook his head. Latias sighed, and put hand to her head. "Ash, you're a big boy. Use your words."

The young Legendary blinked, and sat there, unable to properly think of a response. Now it was his turn to be confused. He stared at her in confusion. Wasn't she going to get angry? Shout? Even blush? "Wait... you're not... mad? But I, er, you know!"

Latias stared for a moment, before feeling a pang of confusion. He was making absolutely no sense. She knew that at somepoint, he would be confusing at times, being a human and all, but she didn't think it would happen so quickly. It hadn't even been four hours, let alone a day! "Not really, no. I was sitting there, enjoying myself, then you panicked. So, the question is, why?"

Ash blushed further, and started babbling. She was getting cold again, and he just barely got her to open up. He almost glared down at his chest. This was all its fault."Well, I, er, touched your..." He then gestured to her chest awkwardly, and blushed a bit more, his cheeks seemingly turning a deeper crimson. Latias looked down, and noticed the... mound that seemingly weighed down her chest. She knew their purpose, after all, Bianca had explained what they were, at least biologically. She proved to be a poor teacher, however, always blushing and babbling, much like Ash now. She gave them a skeptical stare for a moment. Was that all this was about? Really? A pair of fat lumps? "What, you mean Mammaries?"

Ash nodded awkwardly. Latias looked down at them in further confusion, even giving them an experimental prod. Was there some significance to these? She thought for a moment. Maybe, they were like a Lati's wings, it wasn't polite to touch them without permission. That would explain his fear, maybe he met someone who reacted poorly to an accidental bump. Latias sighed, and shuffled awkwardly over to Ash. "It's alright. Besides, these aren't technically even mine."

Ash blushed further at the impression that left on his mind, and Latias then wrapped him in an awkward hug with one arm, which he flinched in. She considered what she should say, but, instead of a thought provoking, deep and meaningful response, maybe one that would heal the fear Ash got from the previous experience, all that came out was "Wanna talk about it?"

Ash shook his head with a nervous smile. Misty had taught him well, after one similar incident, and Ash didn't want the same to happen with Latias. He knew that, while Misty hit hard, a legendary pokemon would hit much, much harder, and that he already had trouble getting her to open back up, without her thinking he was a pervert.

Latias sighed, and thought of something else. Maybe this would all blow over if she changed the subject. She pondered on what she should change the subject to, and, before she could come up with anything, she felt her stomach growl. She looked down, and gave it a light glare, before coming up with an idea. Maybe she should just take him to Mario's. Her stomach was getting empty, and frankly, quite whiny, and if hers was being such a baby, his was probably gnawing away at him with its incessant crying. "Well, want to get something to eat?"

The youth gave an excited head bob, glad for the much needed distraction. Food sounded good. Food always sounded good, and frankly, right now, it sounded more than good, and not just because of... the incident. In fact, it sounded Great, even. At his more than happy response, Latias gave him her semi-smile, and stood up, thoughtfully giving Ash a hand. She hefted his weight to his feet, and nodded. "Alright. And I know just the perfect place we can go. I just have to stop at the bank first."

And, with that, the pair stood up. Latias took one step forward, and grabbed his hand. "Trust me, I think you'll really like this place."

* * *

**A/N _Look at it! Is it not everything you wished for!? _**

_**Are you not entertained!?**_

**So, erm, here's the first chapter of day one. As you can see, it's quite long, and it is only the intro for the day. And it has it all, Ship tease, antics, political intrigue, even some conflict, regardless of how shallow and petty it really is. Either way, I hope you all like it! If you got some con crit, random questions, (I love random questions, especially if they are related to the story!) Or even a little flame to keep me warm, I am all for it!**

**Hope you're all in for the long haul, because if the next couple chaps are like this one, this story's gonna get looooooong. **

**Thanks to my new Beta, Syrup-waffle, who is the most syrup saturated of all the breakfast pastries. For all of those who applied, but didn't get it, thank you anyway. I'd list your names, but I'm not sure you'd enjoy that, and I'd hate to offend.**

**Also, thanks to all those who reviewed. I now got 100 reviews! Look at that!**

**Oh, and, for your use, and enjoyment, here are some Whirlwind files on differing Lati body types! However, there are several others, which I cannot tell you of, due to spoilers of some sort. Hope they are helpful, or, at least enjoyable. Forgive me on their roughness, they were ripped straight from my personal files for the story, and, while I edited them a tiny bit, I didn't spend much time on conversion. Eh, oh well. **

* * *

Shade: The stealthiest of all the Lati body types, they are known to be highly skilled in stealth and subterfuge, naturally possessing a light psychic field that surrounds their body, which slightly activates their feather's ability to warp light. They are constantly semi-transparent, and, due to the constant charge, their feathers have gained the ability over time to absorb residual psychic energy, heat, and light from others and themselves, allowing them to become invisible to psy-reading machinery for short periods of time. They actually are thought to lean towards a ghost typing, rather then a psychic, and, sometimes are able to seemingly fade through objects, although how much of this is real, and how much is an illusion due to the bending of light, is unknown.

Their special attack, speed, psychic control, and psychic reserves are all above normal, but not considerably so.

Psychologically, Shades are sometimes prone to being somewhat sociopathic, often uncaring when forced to kill friends and family, rather then allowing them to be captured by Magma or our organization. Because of this, they are often used as hunter/killers for Lati who break their herd's rules, such as rapists, Pedophiles, and murderers, as they usually able to cope with the individuals who commit the crimes better, as well as able to cope with their eventual disposal. They do, however, possess a strong sense of morals and justice, and it is highly uncommon for them to break major rules, even if they seem unable to care for the reasons why they shouldn't be broken. They are often known to be pranksters or minor trouble makers, as the irritation they cause amuses them, all while allowing them to follow their moral compass.

This body type is highly uncommon. Capture if possible. Avoid dark or overly bright areas, as to avoid ambushes.

* * *

Changeling: The most psychic based of all the lati, changelings are well known for their ability to easily "change" into a different form, able to blend into populations of ponies, other Lati, and, at times, larger flying types. Their ability to change is not an actual metamorphosis, but an extremely complex illusion, tricking the user's mind, and anypony/thing around it, to see and feel the user as what it is transformed into. Changelings possess the ability to teleport unlike most lati, however, they are limited by distance, unlike normal psychic types. The reason for this is unknown, but, due to their extreme amount of psychic control, which allows them to match another body type, Sky-dancer, in terms of endurance, but for differing reasons, they can often teleport multiple times within seconds, using this ability to avoid attacks and to land killing blows.

Psychologically, Changelings are known for emotional instability, and obsession. They are often one of the first to break the Lati creed of "Duty before Loyalty" and are often known to sacrifice others for their goal, be it serving their master, protecting their offspring or mate, or killing a individual who slighted them. They are often very passionate, and are often desired as mates for their undying loyalty to their mate (If that is the object of it's obsession), passion, and ability to change forms easily.

This body type is semi-common. Capture with Psy-blocking machinery. When facing Changelings, use a squad password, to avoid intrusion and infiltration.

* * *

Sky-dancer: The lightest of the Lati types, they are well renowned for their aerial acrobatic skills, along with their high resistance to G-forces and considerably higher top speed. Often clumsy on land, they are often reported to fare quite well in water. They are the smallest of all the body sizes, A Latios only being 1.5 times the size of a normal Latias, instead of the standard 2.1, and, while highly resilient to status ailments due to their higher metabolism, are often very fragile, unable to take heavy hits. Their special attack and speed is the highest of all the body types, and their psychic reserves are the highest of any Lati body type, but their normal attack and defense are the lowest, as is their psychic control. All other attributes are standard. They are able to learn the ability Extreme speed, along with the move Sky attack. They have a higher then normal food requirement, eating more then a Lati almost twice their size.

Psychologically, Sky-Dancers are often friendly, pleasant, and often selfless, but, stubborn, impulsive, often arrogant, and commonly unthinking of consequences. They are also known to be somewhat insensitive emotionally, and air headed, being easily confused at times. They are known for their loyalty to friends and loved ones, and are arguably the most loyal of the sub-species of Lati, although their loyalty is spread out to their entire social circle, unlike Changelings, who often dedicate their life to a single individual, or Ferals, who are usually more loyal to their pack (See herd variants) rather then one's mate.

This body type is considered Highly Rare. Capture, or prevent escape through use of Anti-air tools. Avoid in slower air vehicles, as many can use attacks such as Draco meteor with startling accuracy.

* * *

Current chaser: The most water based of all the body types, Current chasers are known as the fisherman of the Lati species. They often prefer being in water rather then air, they can hold their breath for considerably longer than most and resist higher pressures, allowing them to hunt for deep sea pokemon. Naturally resistant to cold, Divers are often used as a vanguard against ice types. Their HP and Special Defense is the highest of all the body types, and their speed is high. Special attack is low. Rest of stats are standard. Able to learn Hydro Pump. Their ears are considerably better then other body types, allowing for communication underwater.

Psychologically, Current divers are known for their crass, often rude behavior, uncaring of what the say, and who they say it to. They are often also extremely honest, although, this is thought to be due to the fact that Current chasers often stay together socially, and thus learning this behavior from others at a young age. They are nurturing and often kind to youths, and are known to be good parents. They are, however, rather insensitive, and protective to a fault, and will often attack a perceived "Threat" before questioning if they are truly dangerous or not.

This body type is common. Catch if on land, avoid in water, due to lack of proper countermeasures. Known to grab and drown unsuspecting grunts, avoid open waterways and boats if the location is water based.


	11. The claiming issues

**A/N I shall be honest, this chap was a pain to write. It just wouldn't work with me until the last second, unlike the previous one, and, even though I knew exactly where I was going with it, It just wouldn't die. **

**Ah well. It's done now. Rejoice!**

**Also, for those who read the first and second chap recently, I apologize. I had my word changer on, and when I got them from my amazing Beta, the Syrup-iest of the waffles, (Syrup-Waffle) I copied and pasted, resulting in the entire chap being word changed. I didn't even notice, because, well, word changer, until TheGrunt22 said something. I have since then fixed it, and it should be de-ponified. **

**Damn those ponies, they drive me to drink. **

**And, let it be said now. I am not a cop out! XD**

**Anyway! I hope you enjoy the chap, you rascally devils, you.**

**Updated on September 15th, because I am still learnin' the ropes. Didn't change a lot, though.**

* * *

Latias couldn't help but glare. Sure, to be honest, the plastic sign did nothing wrong, but she couldn't help but feel so. Sure, this wasn't the most mature response she ever had, but the plastic irked her so much. She couldn't help but indulge herself in this small concession of emotional respite.

Closed. The bank was closed. Why was the bank closed? It was Tuesday! As in, middle of the week, people may need money Tuesday. Latias couldn't help herself, and let loose another tiny growl of irritation. So much for food. Sure, she could easily hunt for the pair, and her personal hunting grounds, the canals, were easily within reach, barely fifteen feet away from her at all times, unless she left the city. But the fact that she couldn't get some delicious, _human-made_ food for her, and more importantly, for Ash, irked her far more than anything had a right to.

And she'd been getting tired of fish and Berries.

Latias continued to glare coldly at the sign, while Ash sat there in confusion. He wasn't exactly sure why the bank was closed, but the fact that it was apparently irked his female companion enough to have her attempt to freeze it solid through nothing but a glare. He shuffled a bit, and quietly confirmed what was obvious. "Ummm... So, the bank's closed?"

Latias stopped her glare for a moment, if only to give the young male a nod, before looking over and returning her glare to the small plastic sign. She glared coldly at it for one last moment, before finally tearing her eyes away, and instead, putting them upon Ash. She held in a sigh, so much for bonding over food. "Yes. I'm sorry, but I guess we won't be getting food today. At least, not from a restaurant."

Ash cocked his head a bit. He looked back down the street, towards the way they had passed many buildings, and, one of them was a pokemon center. "You know, there's a pokemon center over there..."

Latias blinked a bit in surprise, but quickly schooled her face, so all that she gave was a blank look. Was he suggesting that they eat at a pokemon center? They would need trainer IDs for the human food, something they both lacked, and they would still needed to pay for it even then. That only left the pokemon option, and while poke-food wasn't bad, it wasn't nearly good enough to be considered a real option. Fish was better. Heck, the berries she could find in her grove were better. "Are you suggesting we eat pokemon food? Because frankly, I can catch us something that tastes better than that."

Ash shook his head. He scratched his head for a moment, trying to think of the words to explain himself, but none came. "Nah, I can, er, Well... I'll just show you." He quickly grabbed her by the hand, and tried to lead her in the direction of the building. She couldn't help but hesitate for a moment, before sighing in defeat. If Ash was like he used to be, he'd never give up, and she needed to have faith in him, at least a little. He'd earned that, at least.

"Fine. Let's go."

* * *

The pair quickly entered the building, and Latias couldn't help but look around a bit. This was like every other pokemon center she'd ever been in. White walls, a counter with a Chansey waiting to assist who it could, a nurse Joy, fiddling with some medicine, and a small cafeteria to the side, where they served meals for cheap, but only for trainers. She expected him to lead her to the cafeteria, but, instead, Ash led the pair to the side, towards a small kiosk. She gave him a look, one he ignored, and instead tapped the screen, and it blazed to life. "Welcome, Trainer. Please input trainer ID."

The screen quickly turned into a keypad, and Ash tapped his ID in. It sat there for a moment afterward, before giving another response. "Welcome, Ash Ketchum. Please insert trainer I.D, or put hand on DNA conformation pad."

Latias had no idea what Ash was trying, but she opened her mouth to object. If Ash was a pokemon, he wouldn't really be able to access whatever it was that Ash was trying to do. But, before she could say a single word, Ash put his hand onto the pad. A small noise sounded, and Ash gave a wince. "Please remove hand from DNA confirmation pad."

Ash did so, and rubbed his palm. There was a tiny little spot of blood on his palm, and he scratched lightly at it. "Always hate using these..."

Latias raised the corner of her mouth in irritation. This couldn't end well. At best, all it would do is have the ATM taken down for maintenance. "Ash, I don't think this will-"

"DNA confirmed. Welcome, Ash Ketchum. Please choose transaction type."

Latias blinked in surprise, and Ash quickly tapped away, completely oblivious to her astonishment. A few seconds later, a couple bills popped out. Ash plucked them up, and looked over to a confused Latias. "So, is a hundred enough? Or do I need more?"

She blinked, and gave a small nod, her mind still trying to make sense of what just happened. Wasn't there supposed to be a denial? A beep? Not even a "try again later?" "Ummm... yes." She replied, still wondering how that actually worked. Did this mean that he was, still at his core, human? She shook her head again, and looked to Ash, who didn't notice the look on her face.

So, did that mean that... she still didn't have a chance? She took a deep breath, clenched her hands, and released the breath to calm herself. She didn't need to panic. She thought for a moment; she still had the same chance as before the whole transformation fiasco, but now, she actually looked the part. They looked the same, and, if anything, that still improved her chances. Maybe, just maybe, that would be enough. And, when she told him that she claimed him, he wouldn't just leave and never come back.

She wished over and over that she didn't have to confess, but she had to do it, before the day ended, and they got back to the sanctuary. It wasn't an act she could hide, and frankly, if he found out some other way, there was almost no chance he'd just go along with it.

"So, where are we going?"

The young female was torn from her thoughts, and quickly looked over to Ash. She'd got completely distracted. Again. This was starting to become a habit, and she couldn't afford to become an airhead, especially when all she had was this one single chance to do what she had been so desperately wishing for. She pondered his question for a moment, before simply deciding to take the lead this time. Ash would just get them lost, and it was nearing lunchtime. "Oh, I'll show you." She quickly grabbed him by the hand, and gently pulled him along. There would be more time to think about this later, after they got food. Hopefully, the lunch would help clear her head.

* * *

"Mario's?"

Latias gave a semi-happy nod. It was her honest favorite restaurant in the city, and frankly, the only place she knew of that made real pizza and pasta by hand. There was no place better for this type of food, and, for Ash, only the best would do. She grabbed him gently by the hand, and led him in. The pair quickly found themselves in the middle of a packed restaurant, and a couple people gave the pair a quick glance, but nothing else. Latias sighed, she hoped to avoid the lunch rush, but she seemed to have failed in that regard. So, the pair made their way through the crowd, and to the counter, ignoring the glares of a couple people they passed through the line. Ash couldn't help but blink; were they just gonna skip the line altogether? He thought about questioning her, but, before he could, the pair quickly found themselves at the counter. He looked over to Latias, and noticed a somewhat peaceful smile. He contemplated asking her about their apparent rudeness, but, seeing that smile, he decided to let it go, and instead, Ash leaned in towards Latias, and asked a completely different question. "So, umm... can we talk here and not sound like, well, ya know..."

Latias nodded with a slight smile. Questions were good; they helped him learn, and that was never a bad thing. "To them, we're mute. A part of the illusion. It would be a pretty weak illusion if it could be broken by one of us stubbing our toe, and shouting like a pokemon."

Ash nodded awkwardly. He considered asking another Lati related question, but, instead, felt his stomach rumbling. So, he changed his course of action again, this time with food in mind. "So, what do they serve here?"

Latias gave a small, fond smile as she thought of the food. Where should she begin? The main courses? The side dishes? The deserts? Latias almost giggled. There was almost too many options to choose! She had to stop herself from getting too in depth though, she doubted Ash knew much of the local cuisine. She took one deep breath, and answered. "Pasta. Pizza. Ice cream, and other delicious confectioneries."

Ash blinked. She sounded almost... dreamy. He looked at her, and noticed a slightly larger smile then she normally had. She most likely adored this place. Ash thought for a moment, before feeling kinda honored. She was sharing something precious to her with him, and he couldn't help but feel honored by that fact. He leaned in, and gave her a small, one armed hug. "Thank ya, Latias."

The young female gave a light blush, but responded with a curt nod. She smiled internally; this was definitely the right choice in eateries. "And I thank you. You're paying, after all." Ash smiled awkwardly, and responded with a matching nod. "I kinda forgot about that..." Latias simply rolled her eyes. However, she did give him a quick glance, if only to see if he was still holding the money in his hand. The pants, while convincing, weren't really there. Anything put in his pockets would immediately fall out. She caught sight of his hand, and noticed a small wad of bills poking out. Good.

The pair sat there for another calm moment, before a voice brought them out of their waiting. "Oh, it's little missy! How're you, you want the usual?" Ash almost jumped, and looked over. There, standing behind the counter, was a large man, wearing a red shirt and cap. He looked jovial, and he wore a white, somewhat dirty apron. Clean sleeves, though.

Latias didn't respond immediately, and, after a moment, shook her head. She gestured gently to Ash, and, after a moment of contemplation, put her head on his shoulder. The older man stopped in his tracks, and looked over to Ash, as if noticing him for the first time. "Oh, you brought a date! Aww, and you didn't tell me? Well, how about you two choose a table in the back, and I'll let ya guys decide what you're gettin'."

There were a couple shouts of protest at their seemingly preferential treatment, and the man looked over to the crowd with a glare. "Hey! They get reservations, so, quit yer complainin'!"

Latias nodded to the man, and led Ash to the back, where there were a few tables free. Latias looked to the one nearest to a corner, seeing as the corner seat was taken, and walked over to that one, leading Ash there with her. The pair quickly sat down, and Latias handed Ash a menu. Ash glanced around a bit, before looking back to Latias. "So, did we really have a reservation?"

Latias smiled a bit, and shook her head. "I have a sort of standing reservation here, but..." She shot a look of annoyance at the table in the corner, "It seems that my table was taken."

Ash looked through it for a second, before blinking. He thought about making a response, but frankly, he had nothing. So, he simply gave her a nod, and looked down to his menu. He immediately realized that he didn't recognize a single item on the menu besides pizza. He contemplated getting said pizza, before looking over at Latias. She seemed to like the place, so maybe it'd be a good place to try and... experiment. He looked over the menu once more, and something caught his eye. Chicken Marinara, with something called balsamic vinaigrette sauce. Ash thought for a moment, before deciding to go for it. "Alright, so, what are you getting?"

Latias put her menu down, and smiled lightly. "Two slices of pepperoni. Maybe three, if that's alright with you?"

Ash blinked. For some reason, he expected her order to be more... refined. He quickly smiled however; at least she wasn't completely refined and proper. A quick recollection of the tickle fight flashed in his mind, and he blushed a bit. Ok, maybe she wasn't that proper. "Oh, ummm... yeah, it's ok. This place isn't really expensive, so... just get what you want."

Latias gave him a faint smile, and Ash returned it in triplicate. She glanced back down to her menu, and spoke again. "So, what are you getting, Ash?"

Ash looked over to her, and shrugged awkwardly. "Well... I thought about the Chicken Marinerri? It has some balsim sauce, or something."

Latias shook her head, but she wore a slight smile. She looked back up, and corrected him. "You mean the Chicken Marinara? That's pretty good." Ash smiled a bit more. He was worried he made a wrong choice. This was his lunch, and he didn't want to spoil it. "So, is there anything not good here?"

Latias thought for a moment. She felt a pang of worry; she didn't want to seem picky. But, after a glance at Ash's earnest face, she couldn't help herself. "Well, I hate Alfredo Sauce, so I'd say whatever has that, but I'm biased."

Ash gave a chuckle. "Anything else you don't like?"

The female Lati thought for a moment. She felt her previous pang of panic dissipate when she saw Ash's amused face, and quickly realized that this was an excellent opportunity to bond with Ash. Sharing likes and dislikes. Why didn't she think of it before? "Well, I'm slightly allergic to mushrooms, but I hate them too, so there's no loss there. And I loathe asparagus."

Ash actually laughed a bit. He could understand the mushroom thing, if she was allergic, but asparagus? "Asparagus? Really?"

Latias nodded, smiling a bit. This was working! "Yeah... It's because one time, Bianca, Lorenzo, and Latios all found a sale on the stuff, and it was normally really expensive. They all three bought a ton, and, when they brought the stuff back, there was forty pounds of it. We had to eat it for every meal for a month."

The pair laughed a bit at that, Although Latias' laughter was more of a light, polite chuckle. The pair continued to laugh for one last moment, before finally calming down. "Well, needless to say, I hated asparagus after that."

Ash smiled. He was getting her to open up. Maybe Pikachu's worries were wrong after all. He was definitely getting an 'I told you so,' even if he would deny any knowledge of her implied shortcomings. "So, besides here, what food do you like?"

Latias thought for a moment. "Well, I really like Yache berries. I only have them once in awhile though, because they're really rare, even in season. At least, they are here in Altomare. I hear they're great chilled, but... Well, I don't have any way to do that."

Ash thought for a moment, before frowning a bit. "Why not give them to Bianca? She could get them chilled, and give them to you, or something."

Latias sighed a bit. "Well, they don't last long, even frozen, and I barely am able to see Bianca. I'm not free often, and, even when I am, she usually isn't. I haven't even seen her for five months."

Ash frowned. So, he was the only friend she's seen in several months? He didn't like the idea. "So, umm... did you make any friends with any of the Lati?"

"No, I have not."

Both of the disguised Lati winced, she was starting to go back to her cold, overly formal way of speaking again. Latias took a quiet, calming breath, and Ash simply gave a noticeable pause. "Well... I'm here now, so, if you want to, um, do fun things... I can help."

Latias froze, and thought about the implications of what he said. Sure, he probably meant it as an innocent, 'I'll be your friend' kind of way, but the fact that it was Ash that said it, made her blush lightly. She gave a small nod, and a smile. Maybe. "Thank you, Ash."

Ash nodded happily. He considered continuing the conversation, but, with her reaction, he thought it would be best to change the subject. "So, well, you had things you said you had to teach me, so, er, what are they?"

Latias sighed; so much for bonding. She took a deep breath, and though back on her 'lesson' plans. She figured that she should start with the extreme basics of social protocol. "Well, first off, don't ever touch a Lati's wings without asking, it's really rude."

"Ok, but, why is it rude?"

Latias thought for a moment, trying to think of a decent metaphor. "Well, a Lati's wings are like... er, human hips. That make sense?"

Ash gave a hesitant nod. "Wait, does that mean, when Yackey poked my wing-"

Latias frowned. "She did what now?" She always knew that Yackey was on the prowl for a mate, even if she had a content relationship with Kolm. She was always one of the biggest troublemakers in that regard. But that was just plain rude.

Ash blinked awkwardly. He felt as if he said something he shouldn't have. He blinked, and blushed slightly. He may have just gotten Yackey in trouble. "Well, she said she was testing my reflexes..."

"Well, next time she does that, I'll test _her_ reflexes." Latias had to stop herself from going further.

Ash shuffled in his seat awkwardly. Great, now she was mad. He shifted again, and simply sat there. Latias sat there for a moment, and took another deep breath. She was really working through her calming exercises today. She released it, and gave a deep sigh. "Ash, next time something like that happens, please tell me. I'm your clai- friend, your friend, and I don't want anything to happen to you. We Lati can get pretty aggressive with that sort of thing."

The male gave an awkward nod. "I noticed."

Latias sighed, and leaned back in the chair. She almost called him her claimed, and right now wasn't the time to explain _that_. She rubbed her temples, enjoying the false feeling of soft, human hands on her head. It was funny, how enjoyable such a basic change could be, the softness of one's hands.

"You were gonna say I was your claimed, weren't you?"

And, with that, Latias' heart stopped completely. A furiously sick feeling of dread shot through her, and she already knew that she was pale as a bed sheet. She slowly looked up to Ash, who looked completely oblivious. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ash interrupted her. "What does that mean, anyway? Yackey said something about me not being claimed and, well... I'm kinda curious."

Latias swallowed thickly. She glanced to the side, desperately hoping the waiter would arrive. But, he was clearly helping another customer, and would be occupied for at least another few minutes. She took one last deep breath, and released it, this time, not to calm herself, but to steel her heart. Guess this was happening now.

"Ash, being claimed means that you're agreed to become mates."

Ash blinked for a second. He felt the need to look over himself, as if there was a flag that told others of his relationship status somewhere on his person. "Wait, then how did Yackey know that I wasn't?"

Latias took another breath. She had given hard news before, but never had it been related directly to her. "Because... for Lati, claiming is an act, not a thought or a statement."

Ash looked slightly confused, but, before he could question, she continued. She took one final breath, hoping it would actually center her. Guess this was happening now. "When one claims another, they mix their psychic energy and aura together. It has to be through contact though... Mainly, through our lips."

Ash sat there for a moment, trying to wrap his head around the statement. For a single moment, he sat there. And then, his face turned from a confused, somewhat blank look, to a look of hesitance. He looked to Latias, and spoke slowly. "Wait... does that mean...?"

Latias gave a slow, extremely nervous nod. "Claiming is to prepare the pair's bodies for... being mates. And, last night, I claimed you." She winced internally. Sure, it was an act of passion, but it was still something that had very vast consequences.

Ash quickly frowned as his mind pondered the situation a bit. He was now, technically, engaged. By human standards, anyway. Against his will. With a pokemon. Which he was now.

He felt his head begin to ache. He rubbed his temples a bit, and frowned further. Did she even consider asking first? He felt a pang of anger. Did this mean that, regardless of his choice, he was now engaged to her? Did he not have a say in who he chose? He gritted his teeth a bit, and clenched a fist. He shot a very unhappy look at Latias, who actually flinched. "We're gotta talk about this, now."

He quickly forced himself to his feet and stood up, quickly grabbing her hand. She felt a pang of irritation and almost, almost tried to resist. But, she couldn't bring herself to. Sure, she may have gotten used to being respected, but Ash? He not only held her absolute respect and adoration, but frankly, he also earned his indignation. This was completely her fault, and she didn't even make a complaint as she was quickly led from the restaurant.

Ash quickly looked around after leaving the door of the restaurant, and quickly spotted an alleyway. That would work. He quickly gestured his head towards the alley, and moved to the empty street, Latias in tow. The pair moved down the alley, and, once Ash felt that they were out of sight, he turned to her.

"Why?"

She gave a wince. He definitely didn't sound happy. This was not going well. Frankly, she knew it wouldn't go spectacular, but... "Call it a moment of weakness."

Ash frowned a bit, and took a deep breath, releasing it as a sigh. This was going nowhere. He knew she liked him, but, he couldn't just agree to this. He felt a small hint of guilt, followed by another pang of anger. Now, he was feeling guilty for something completely stupid! He gave her a glance, and saw her pale, distressed face. It made him feel even angrier. She felt bad? Sure, now she feels bad, now that she got caught!

'But she was the one that told you.'

He gritted his teeth. She told him, big whoop. Now, he felt bad, she felt bad, and now, all he had to do was roll over, accept his new life. He growled internally. He was never one to be walked over, even if it was a friend that was trying to do it. He looked over to her, and opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Ash held back a grimace. He sat there for a moment, before the words that he gave Pikachu came to him.

_I think... I'll give her a chance._

Ash sighed, and looked over to Latias, and gave her a cold glare. "Latias, How do I undo the claim?"

* * *

**A/N My first cliff-hanger! (Of this story) Awww... it's so cute!**

**Eh, not really. It's rather... Yeah. So, either way, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**And, starting today, because why not, I'll refer some new(ish) stories!**

**We got When fate comes knocking by my Beta, the Syrup-Waffle, Which is, well, Alto shipping! It's got plots, jealousy, and all sorts of stuff!**

**Next, we got Harmonizing Heavy Hearts, by Chaotix13, which is a newbie on the scene, being only 6 days old. It's certainly cutsie. At least. I think it is. It's quite young, after all. **

**Aaaand, that's all I got. I haven't read anything much, recently, due to writing so much, so... **

**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and feel free to review. I can use any and all criticism, be it weird, wise, or whimsical.**

**Oh, and a small note, unrelated to the chapter. My favorite trope is unreliable expositor. That is all.**


	12. Guilt

**A/N So, here's the next chapter! I rewrote this little booger five times. But, somehow, I feel pride in that fact. I honestly think this is the best version of the chapter I could honestly give you. It was... enjoyable, actually. I feel accomplished. Too bad it's probably still complete crap. XD**

**And speaking of crap, it's been Two whole months since this story's been posted! And, not only that, but it's my beta's, AKA The amazing Syrup-Waffle's, Birthday! This feels like plenty of reason to celebrate!**

**Now, To start off these festivities, I'd like to give a hearty thanks to all my reviewers. Weeeeeeeell~~~!**

**I thank you, Orca3553, _Thegrunt22, Syrup-waffle_, The Black Silverclaw, Impstar, ayishere, DragonNOOB, Zurocha, joycewu333, JChittester, killila23400, brice51297, Ranger96, redwolf23456, Darastrixi, unown1variable, Lector Luigi, Uranium235, Champion Red, Alto Shipping Fan, The Chosen One, Uranium235, thor94, Stygian Hazard, gabinoanct96, Chaos, All the guests, (Thank ya guys!), Mijumaruwott, , PokeGamma54, Ongorom, P1ka, Earthboundfan2, The Ultimate Spiderman, Latios Lover, Hero in the shadows1, WesternFail, Samster687, Mr. Mookenstein, Shadow Fox1, UnsafestMoss81, silentstrixe, FusionRobin, Angel's demonic shadow 26, Cartoonny, denis.d2505, Devanor, Lorderp, firesage1, gabinoanct96, LordGhostStriker, Hiroshiboy, Vengeance2017, Eevee5501892, ANON, Sam Fraser, ThatGalladeAcrossTheStreet, Hippodog, and the AnimeA55Kicker.**

**Dang, That's a longer list then I ever dreamed I'd have when the story was done, let alone when I was only just getting started, and it's only been two months!**

**All you guys and gals are the most amazing readership I've ever had. Thank you all so much. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.**

**Seriously, Thank you.**

** And, again, Happy Birthday, Syrup!**

**Only slightly tweaked on September 15th, because most of everything is either vital to character arcs or plot.**

* * *

_"Latias, How do you undo the claim?"_

Latias sat there for a moment, expecting the blow to fall, when he said those words. But, no matter how she put it, she found herself in unable to truly understand what he just said. Her brain had helpfully summarized it, but it didn't make it any easier to comprehend. He said Unclaim. The words repeated several times through her head, the sentence proving completely undecipherable to her. Unclaim? Him? Her mind struggled to comprehend how the two words could be held together.

Her mind slowly forced itself to recite the definitions of the words. Unclaim. To remove a claim. Him. Ash Ketchum, _her's_. To her shock addled mind, the words were completely opposite, unable to exist in the same sentence, let alone compliment each other. But, after what seemed like an eternity of confusion, he mind finally put together the pair of unruly words. And, when it did, it struck with a terrifying amount of finality.

He wanted out. He didn't want her. He was going to leave her, again. And, with that, the mask she'd been keeping on so fervently, so carefully, cracked.

She was going to be alone, again. That last thought rang through her ears, as images of Latios and Ash on a boat, sailing away flashed in her mind's eye. The memory of that first night alone, for the first time in her life. No brother to keep her warm, no Ash to dry her falling tears. Not even Bianca there to tell her everything would be ok.

_Alone. _

_Alone. _

_Alone._

And, with that one thought reverberating through her mind, Latias felt her lungs completely freeze in her chest, and a massive wave of panic set in. The statement knocked the wind right out of her lungs, but the instant she tried to take a breath, her lungs refused the commands, and did nothing. She felt as if she was drowning, and, after a moment of titanic effort, she barely managed the tiniest of gasps.

_Alone. She would die alone._

She felt her heart begin to pound rapidly, but it still somehow felt as if her blood turned to slush in her veins, and the world began spinning. She put a claw on her chest as it began to ache, and managed another shallow breath. Why couldn't she breathe? She tried to make another breath, but all she got was another burdened gasp, barely enough to keep her from passing out.

She couldn't manage another breath, and confusion, hurt and betrayal wracked her mind. He didn't want her. It was her fault. She messed this up, again. It was her fault her brother died. Her fault Ash left. Her fault that Lorenzo lost his job. Her fault.

It was her fault.

It was her fault that she was alone.

_Alone._

She managed a ragged breath. She felt some tears form in her eyes, and she put a hand on the nearby wall to stead herself. Why couldn't she breathe?

She took another weak gasp, and, unable to maintain it any longer, abruptly shifted back into her normal form, no longer strong enough to maintain the illusion. She tried to take another breath. She needed to breathe. Breathing calmed her, all she had to do was breathe. She forced another gasp. In, out.

She took another breath, and another. The breathing was getting easier, but she still felt weak. In, out. Out with the panic, in with her calm.

Her vision began to blur, and she forced another breath. She still needed to regain her wind, once she did that, she'd be better.

In...

She quickly slumped up against the nearby wall, unable to maintain the strength to remain upright, all her attention was now held solely on her breathing. She quickly forced a ragged gasp, and another, and another in very rapid succession. She was going to be left again, she just knew it.

_Alone._

She still felt light headed, if anything, it was getting worse. Breathe, she needed to breathe more. She took another pant, and she barely even noticed the claws frantically pawing at her sides, desperately searching for a place to grab her. She began to take several gasps, but, with each breath, she felt herself grow dizzier and weaker. But she continued.

_Alone_.

* * *

Ash paced, or, more accurately, floated awkwardly through the trainer's hall of the pokemon center, not paying any mind to the paintings, bulletin board, and vase he knocked off onto the floor with his somewhat oversized wings, nor the several scared looking trainers and pet owners that watched his every move, as if he would turn and attack at the slightest provocation. He had more important things to worry about.

Such as what just happened.

The question rolled repeatedly through his mind, forcing all his other petty thoughts to the wayside. One moment, he asked her if there was a way to remove the claim, and the next, she had what he assumed to be a heart attack. He already felt guilty for his previous actions, but now, the universe seemed hell-bent on making him feel as bad as possible, regardless of his justification in asking the question.

He didn't even get to saying if he wanted to remove it or not before she collapsed, for Arceus' sake! He couldn't help himself as he gritted his teeth and let loose a low growl of irritation. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a couple trainers scooting away from him as he did this, with the exception being an older man reading a news paper, who was seemingly oblivious. He felt a pang of primal satisfaction, but that was quickly drowned in his worry.

So, again, he asked himself, What happened? Did she have some unknown illness that she didn't previously tell him about? Was she hurt? Was she, Mew forbid, dying?

He quickly resumed his "pacing" again in worry, and forced his mind from the darker topics, and back to the previous concern, before his worry overcame any semblance of self restraint he had, and he burst into the room where they held his friend, and apparently, according to what he knew about the claim, his "mate". He growled again in irritation at the irritating thought, garnering several concerned looks from the trainers.

Was he... wrong in asking the question? Sure, he knew that she liked him, sure. They even had a discussion on how she was simply waiting for an answer. But, claiming him? He didn't think he was ready to be engaged, let alone engaged as a dragon, with a dragon. Sure, he liked her, and he was willing to maybe even try a relationship, just out of their previous friendship, but he didn't like her_ that_ much. Heck, He didn't think he liked _Pikachu_ enough to just agree to marriage out of friendship.

_I think... I'll give her a chance._

Ash sighed in exasperation, his words coming back again to haunt him again and again. At this point, he knew he was going to have that statement reverberating in his dreams. He frowned unhappily, and spun around again, resuming his mission of pacing the hall. He wanted to give her a chance, but that was... too much.

And suddenly, a thought rushed through his mind, making him grimace. She already said that she was waiting for his answer. Maybe... the claim was just that. A claim. A small, meaningless little token that said that they were in a relationship. He would be the first to admit that he knew nothing of being a Lati, and maybe, claiming the one you intended to date was... normal.

You just got engaged, and waited until you knew if you loved them and all, and then tied the knot, so to speak. Maybe all he did was completely overreact, gave her some sort of extreme insult, and just made things fifty times worse. He felt the urge to facepalm, and spun around again.

Or, maybe, she did something extremely selfish, and basically just shanghaied him into some type of pokemon marriage, or something. Maybe he was justified in wanting out, and she just rushed the relationship to the point of absurdity. Or, maybe, it was both. Maybe, she overreacted when she first saw him, had been waiting for the right moment to tell him, and would've gladly let him out if he wanted, and they would've did something like dating, but she ended up having a heart attack, or something weird before she could've done something about it.

The whole situation made his head hurt.

He growled angrily again, and several trainers and pet owners decided that they had enough, and got to their feet, awkwardly shuffling to the lobby, trying to avoid the obviously agitated legendary. Ash, however, paid them no mind, and turned around again, still trapped in his thoughts. Sure, he did say he'd give her a chance, but did he still need to? She quite possibly chose to do things without asking him. Maybe she couldn't be trusted.

The male Lati grumbled a bit at the turn his thoughts were taking. They felt... wrong. He never second guessed his friends! A small voice in the back of his head spoke in response. 'But... Maybe she did betray you.' He shook his head in disagreement. She may have claimed him, without his permission, but it was probably an accident, or a heat of the moment kind of thing. She also was the one who confessed to the crime, when she could have easily lied.

Ash growled loudly again, and the last few trainers got up and left for the lobby, nearly tripping over one of the fallen paintings as they did so. All that was left was now him, and the old man with the paper, who didn't seem to either notice or care about the angry Latios. Ash frowned heavily for a moment, before sighing. Here he was, questioning Latias' intentions, while she was in the hospital, possibly dying. He sadly slumped up against the wall, and took a deep breath.

He did know one thing, though. He really hoped that she would be ok.

The old man, unbeknownst to Ash, had his newspaper lowered, and was now staring at the young Lati. His eyes were analytic, and after a moment of staring at the youth, he gave a satisfied nod and a faint smile. He cleared his throat, and spoke in a cool even tone. "You did well young Lati, getting our Princess here. I would have preferred that you got her to the grove instead, but beggars cannot be choosers, after all. You did what you needed to, and for that, I am eternally grateful."

Ash gave a small jump, and his head looked around in surprise at the voice. He had sworn that the voice was one of a Lati instead of a human, but all he saw was an old, mustached man, staring at him, a newspaper in his lap. Ash stared blankly at the elder, wondering why his gut told him something was off. But, as his eyes looked the elder man over, he saw nothing out of place. If anything, the man reminded him of a more professionally dressed Professor Rowan, if that was possible. Ash tilted his head in confusion, and raised an eyebrow. Maybe the stress was getting to him. "Huh?"

The old man nodded in acknowledgement, and spoke again, although this time, his mouth didn't move, sending a jolt of surprise down the youth's back. "I said, you did well. Exactly what I would've expected from our princess' claimed, after all. She is certainly a great judge of character."

Ash felt comprehension dawn over him, along with a pang of irritation directed towards himself. It was a Lati _disguised_ as a human that was talking to him. And, somehow, the Lati knew who he was. Too bad the same couldn't be said about him. Ash scratched awkwardly at the back of his head, and gave a light, ungraceful wave with his free claw. "Umm... I don't wanna be rude, but who are you?"

The old man smiled somewhat, slowly making his way to his feet, as if he had trouble doing so. The illusion was terrifyingly seamless. Ash could have swore that he even heard the elder's joints creaking. Once the old man got to his feet, he gave a slight bow, and a disarming smile. "My name is Lorip. I am milady's personal assistant, and the one responsible for keeping her safe. And, again, thank you. I cannot stress that enough."

Ash felt his mind rush. Did this Lati watch everything that happened between the two? For some reason, the tickle fight came to mind, along with the events that followed it, and Ash felt his cheeks warm up. "So.. you watched our entire... trip?"

Lorip shook his head, smiling at the youth's light blush. The elder Latios felt a pang of happiness in his gut; maybe, if he was lucky, the pair would soon be mates, and the princess wouldn't be so emotionally distant anymore. He felt some irritation in the fact that he knew absolutely nothing about this male, but, if the princess knew him, and cared for him enough to claim him, then he could easily be trusted completely. The princess was never wrong. "No, actually. Our lady requested that she be left alone, and as such, I deemed it necessary to leave you two be. However, I did happen to spot you making a ruckus bringing her here, while I was venturing through the city. May I ask, what happened?"

Ash sighed, and shook his head with a frown. Maybe, this elder would know what was wrong with Latias. He took a moment to steel himself, and replied. "She... started breathing funny, and kinda collapsed. I didn't know what else to do, so I brought her here."

Lorip felt a small kernel of dread for in the pit of his stomach. So, the princess had another panic attack. And, if it was enough to hospitalize her... That did not bode well. Including the fact that she had an attack that severe in front of her claimed, who most likely knew nothing about it, and the situation found itself to be quite dire. "Oh dear... I am so sorry this was how you found out about this."

Ash felt dread fill his gut. Was there something wrong with Latias? He quickly moved closer to the elder, and looked him straight in the eyes in desperation. "What? What's wrong with her?!"

Lorip sighed, his mouth mimicking the movements easily, which sent a involuntary, very dissident shiver down Ash's spine. "I apologize that you found out about the Princess' anxiety problem this way. You see, she has had issues with stress and anxiety in the past, probably due to her losing her brother so suddenly, along with being put in a high stress position. She has had some minor... episodes, but she normally has it under control, however, and it is rarely a issue, even in social situations where she cannot simply leave to calm down. However, for her to be debilitated to the point of hospitalization is... unheard of."

Ash felt dread nestle itself in his gut. She had a panic attack. He made her have a panic attack. This was his fault. He paled a bit, and felt the need to sit down, regardless of his actual ability to do so. Lorip noticed his reaction, and, quickly misinterpreting it, put a hand on his shoulder in hopes to calm him. "Relax, Young Sky-dancer. Tell me, what is your name?"

Ash felt a pang of confusion and irritation at the random question; Now was not the time for formalities. But after a moment, he decided to force himself to answer. He could do nothing to help Latias now, and this older Lati knew what was going on. It paid to be civil. "Ash... My name is Ash."

The older lati nodded firmly, and gave the young dragon a light smile. So, the name of the one who captured the princess' heart was Ash. Sounded familiar. "Ash. A good, strong name. You know, our princess adores you."

Ash winced internally at Lorip's words, along with a fresh surge of guilt, reminding him of his actions and how this situation was all his fault. "She even held a council meeting, just to get today and the next off." And, now he felt even worse.

The older lati smiled, and gave a fond sigh. That was the first time she had ever requested something personal; the sole exception being the day off she took every anniversary of her brother's death. Two days off in two years. "I, along with most of the council, have requested that she take days off previously, but she had never heeded our requests. She works very hard for our people, harder then any Alpha that I have ever known personally. The title of Lati Princess is not one to be given out lightly after all, and honestly, I was always worried that she would just burn herself out. But you, you are very precious to her. To _Us_. You now hold the sway over her."

Ash felt a pang of sudden panic in his gut. He quickly recalled the words Latias gave him earlier, about the manipulation and coaxing she endured. He opened up his mouth to object, but Lorip continued. "You are important enough to slow her down a bit, to teach her how to relax and rest. I dare say, that you will be one of the best things that has came to Altomare. Not just for us, mind you, but for her as well. A Princess that works herself to death does not sit well with me, nor does it with the herd."

Lorip smiled quite fondly, and put his other hand on his shoulder. "And, more importantly, I think, no, I know, that you two will be very, very happy together."

Ash felt conflicted, and he couldn't tell if this elder could be trusted. He wanted him to... Slow her down? Make her happy? Both of those were good things. But, maybe he was planning something. But, regardless of his feelings, he nodded all the same. Denying this elder Lati might bite him in the butt, or, worse, Latias'. Simply pretending to agree might be the best plan of action. He thought on what the elder told him, and sighed internally. Why did everyone always want him to be with Latias? Even Pikachu mentioned it enough that it made him curious.

_I think... I'll give her a chance._

Ash felt a short surge of irritation at the unwelcome interruption, but, after a moment, he nodded. He was pretty sure what the answer to her unasked question was going to be now. Before Ash could say anything, A loud *Bing* sounded, and Ash turned his head to the door, where a Nurse Joy stepped out. She gave one look at Ash, and gave him a strange look. But, it quickly shifted to the familiar comforting smile he knew from before, and he smiled back. "Your friend is ready to see you now."

Ash nodded, and looked back to Lorip. But, when he did, the man was gone. He glanced around a bit, but there was not hide nor hair of the Lati. The nurse gave him a somewhat confused look, but said nothing. Ash could have swore that the old man's hand was still on his shoulder, but, when he put a claw up, there was nothing but air. Ash looked about for one last moment, but saw nothing, so he glanced over to the nurse instead, and gave her a resolute nod. "Alright, take me to her."

* * *

'This is all your fault.'

Latias sighed sadly as she stared down at her lap, getting hopelessly lost in the rough waters of her mind. She did it. She managed to screw up the one thing she had been desperately wishing to have for the last 2 years. It was completely, irrefutably, all her fault, and she had no one to blame but She, herself and I. Now, Ash hated her, and she would continue to be alone for-

"Latias?"

Latias felt her breath hitch, the extremely familiar voice bringing her out of her inner monologue. Please no. She didn't think- no, she knew that she didn't have the heart to be able to watch him refuse her a second time. She took a single breath, and looked up hesitantly to the source of the voice. Sure enough, it was Ash. She could never mistake that voice. The sight of him floating there made her gut make an uncomfortable lurch, and, after a moment of staring, she nodded slightly in acknowledgement to her name. "Yes... Ash?"

The young Sky-Dancer slowly made his way to the bedside. He looked... hesitant, and somewhat relieved. She didn't dare get her hopes up at the sight of his happy-ish face, though. That path only led to more heartbreak; something that she could not afford. Her heart was fragile enough as it was, without a second blow. "Hey, Latias. You... You really worried me, you know?"

He gave her a hesitant smile, and floated over to the chair that sat beside her that previously held Nurse Joy. He awkwardly maneuvered over it, and, after a check, if only to see if it would bear his weight, he plopped down quietly into it, easily dwarfing the chair that supported him. She looked at the somewhat bizarre spectacle, and forced the unwelcome amusement to die down. She instead gave him a blank, very practiced stare, and he winced a bit at it. "So... How are you feeling?"

'Like someone tore my heart out.' Was her mental reply, but instead, all she said was "Decent."

He gave another wince. This wasn't going as he wished it. Although, to be honest, he should have expected her to be positively frigid to him after what happened. He took a moment to consider his options, and released a sigh. He would need all of his resolve for this. Hopefully, he would only have to do this once. "Latias... I'm sorry for, well, yeah."

She gave a quiet exhale out of exasperation. Of course he was sorry for her screw up. It wouldn't be Ash, otherwise. Next, he'd apologize for her brother dying or something else that wasn't his fault. Everything was always his fault. She didn't know if that was selfish, or selfless. "It's alright Ash. It was my fault, anyway."

Ash almost found himself nodding in agreement, but he killed the idea before his body could act it out. He didn't think that would be the most... tact response. He instead gave a light sigh, and looked down to the ground. "Latias, I have a question?"

The female changeling looked at Ash for a moment, before giving a stiff nod. She knew he was probably going to ask her the question from before, or perhaps if she would break the claim she had on him. She actually considered telling him that she would not answer anything, but she couldn't force herself to do it, and instead, she gave him a distant and chilled look. "Ask whatever it is you need to know."

Ash winced at the cold almost-glare, and pondered on how he should start. He could ask her why she did the claim? Or why she didn't tell him until he brought it up? But, instead of those questions, the ones that he had found to be gnawing at his insides, he found himself asking something completely different. "Why didn't you tell me you had panic attacks?"

Latias took another deep breath, and slowly released it. She pondered on his question. Why didn't she tell him? Because it was a negative trait. Nobody, besides Lorip and his Twins, knew of it. To everyone else, she was the Princess of Altomare, the distant, yet almost perfect leader of the Lati residents of the city. To break the view of her, well, that would also break the facade that she hid behind. There would be nothing left for her to hide herself with. She would be bare to the world. They would all see her as the scared little Lati that was terrified of being alone. "Because... That would mean I'm broken."

Ash tilted his head in bewilderment. That wasn't the answer he expected, but then again, that wasn't the question he meant to ask. His mind threw a couple warning bells up, and, for the very first time in his life, he heeded them, and instead tried to ponder a reply rather then answer right away. "That's dumb."

And it was that moment that Ash realized how terrible he was at conversation. Latias gave him the most insulted look he ever seen from anyone have in his entire life, and he could have sworn that, if he could, he'd have burst into flames right then and there, and his remains would have burned for the next millennium. He quickly brought his claws up automatically to defend his face, and continued. "I mean, I wouldn't care if you were broken or not!"

Latias' expression of anger and offense slowly changed to one of extremely cold indifference. She looked away from Ash, and huffed. "I very highly doubt that."

Ash shook his head desperately in denial, flailing his arms mindlessly in an attempt to regain her attention. "I mean it! You're my friend, and friends don't leave each other, no matter what!"

Latias felt a tiny speck of hope form, along with a speck of supreme irritation, but she continued to avoid looking at him. She knew, consciously, that he meant no offense, but the fact that he belittled her greatest weakness still stung considerably, and add the fact that he said that he would never abandon her, after leaving her for two years, and she found herself feeling rather unmoved at the gesture. She gave a long exhale, and continued to stare at the wall, trying her hardest to avoid looking at Ash.

The young male sat there in silence as well, and, after several moments of complete silence, Ash dared to ask a question, in hopes of regaining his audience.

"What do... what do claimed Lati... do?"

Latias felt a spark of surprise, and she almost turned her head towards him in an attempt to spot his expression, but she quickly regained herself, reigning her emotions back into her cold indifference. He was merely making conversation, and she wouldn't let herself get hope where there was none. She took a slow inhalation, and released it, and slowly, deliberately, looked over to Ash. "They, well... hunt together. Spend time together. They Eat, sleep... love..._ play_..." She mumbled the last word out of embarrassment.

Ash nodded slowly at her lackluster description. He knew what he intended to do, but he felt himself hesitant. Once he did this, there was no going back. "Umm... so, can a claim be broken?"

Latias felt the familiar pang of pain and panic return, but this time, she didn't allow herself to be lost in it. She instead took a deep breath, and forced herself to give an honest answer. Never let it be said that she put her desires over his, even if the relationship was not to be. She continued to look away from Ash, and gave him her answer. "Yes... Yes it can, Ash."

Ash nodded slowly, letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He gave a light smile, and leaned back into the chair, looking up at the ceiling. Now, came the hardest part. But now, he had the perfect chance. He couldn't waste it.

"And... If I were to, say, agree to your claim... and it didn't work, could you break it?"

Latias felt her heart... stop. She felt her head spin towards him against her wishes, and that small spark of hope exploded, and she couldn't stop her answer from spilling out, against all of her instincts. "Yes!" She barely managed to get a hold of herself, and gave a more reigned in answer. "Er, yes... I could remove it at anytime."

Ash took a deep breath. Now or never. "Ok... So... If agree to your claimed, will you... be happy?"

Latias felt a momentary pang of confusion at the... offness with the way he worded it, but she paid it no heed. Ash... said yes. He agreed. She was his. He was hers. She had someone again. She wasn't alone again. She wasn't _alone_. "Ash, I've never wanted something more in my life."

Ash winced a bit not at her answer, but the unrestrained enthusiasm she had said it with. He almost felt guilty again, although he wasn't sure why. He quietly nodded, and gave her his answer. "Alright... I'll agree to be your claimed, then." Before he could react, Ash found himself in the arms of Latias, who leaped from the bed with startling speed. He found that she was holding him tightly, and he could easily feel, although he wasn't sure how, that she irradiated happiness. In fact, his shoulder was getting wet from her tears. He bent his neck to look at her, and she did the same, and had a teary smile as she looked into his eyes.

"Ash... I love you."

She moved her face close to his, and he felt what suspiciously felt like a lick on his cheek. He blinked, and quickly grew a light brush.

And, with very little ceremony, was promptly hit in the face with a bedpan.

His head jerked back, and he quickly tumbled from Latias' surprised grip, and he, along with his chair, fell over. Ash quickly hit the floor like a sack of flour, and he watched as the projectile, which bounced off his skull, slowly spin several times in the air, before coming back down towards his face. As he watched his vision become obstructed by the bedpan, a single errant thought popped up.

_'I hope that's clean.'_

Latias jumped back in surprise, and, after looking down at Ash, who now sat on the ground, using a bedpan as a mask, she turned and gave a livid glare and snarl combo over towards the doorway, where a equally livid Nurse Joy sat. She opened her mouth to give the Nurse a shout, but was was silenced by a withering glare. "No, no, **No**! I've heard how affectionate you Lati can get from my sisters, and I will not have my hospital turn into a Lati love lair!"

She marched over past the glaring Latias, and instead moved to Ash, and quickly grabbed the bedpan off his face. The young dragon gave a blank, somewhat confused look at the nurse, and after a short staring contest, quickly found her hand around his ear. "Ow ow ow!" She quickly yanked him up, and pulled him towards the door.

He got a glance at Latias as he passed, who, he noted, was positively fuming, and gave a somewhat pained sigh. He knew he was going to have to deal with that later. He the tried to give a look up to the nurse that held his ear hostage, but she gave no response as she led him through the halls of the pokemon center. Once the pair got close to the lobby, she stopped, and gave him a very unhappy look. "Now, You're going to wait in the lobby. I'd normally kick you both out, but there's actually something wrong with your mate. So, as I've said, you are going to wait out in the lobby like a good little dragon, until we can figure out what's wrong, and fix it. Understood?"

Ash tried to give a frantic nod, but all he got was a sad little head wiggle. "Good." She quickly led him to the door to the lobby, and, with a resounding feat of strength, he felt a hand grab his wing, and found himself thrown heftily through them. He felt pang of panic, and, before he could react, landed promptly on his face as a shout followed him. "And Stay out there, Ya dirty Dragon!"

Ash couldn't help himself as he blushed furiously in embarrassment, and did nothing, laying face first on the floor, and listening as the door closed behind him. He sat there for a moment, staring blankly into the cold, unforgiving tile, before finally finding the will to react and, after giving his nose a quick rub, looked up. However, instead of a empty lobby, as he left it, he found several trainers, and an eerily familiar old man with a newspaper in his lap, all staring at him. He blushed slightly, and, when the "Old man" gave him a disarming smile, a wink, and a double thumbs up all at once, he blushed even more.

This was going to be a long wait.

* * *

"Iris, You know you don't have to be the one to tell her. I can do it. You were the one who filled out the report with the police."

Iris took a unhappy breath, and shook her head. She felt a pang of guilt at how tempting the thought was, but she still couldn't bring herself to give the task to anyone else. This was her fault, it was her burden to bear. "No... I was the one who said that we should get wood. It's my fault, Cilian."

The green haired gym leader shook his head is exasperation, and put a hand on her shoulder. She "Iris, if you keep blaming yourself, it'll eat you alive."

Iris gave him a unhappy frown, and shook her head. While Cilian had really supportive, he'd recently been somewhat suffocating. "I'll be fine, Cilian..." She replied softly. She then looked down to the pack she had in her hands. She still couldn't bring herself to tell Ash's pokemon what happened to their trainer. She'd just kept them in their poke-balls until now.

She sighed, and steeled herself as she walked up to the phone. She'd tell them, once Ash's mother knew. She'd take their justified anger as well. She deserved it.

She stared blankly at the phone's keypad for a second, before slowly dialing it in. But, with every press of the keys, her dread doubled. This was not going to be easy. Her only hope was that she could keep herself in line to actually tell her what happened.

The phone rang once. Iris felt her dread begin to bubble in her gut, and she felt the tiny hope that she wasn't home, and that she would have to call later.

A second ring. She found herself clenching her fist tightly, and had to stop herself from digging her nails into her palm. She did that with the police report, and her hand still had the bandage.

A third ring. She felt a tiny speck of hope. Maybe she wasn't-

"Hello, Ketchum Residence!"

Iris winced at the happy, chipper tone that Ash's mom had. So much for her not being home. She felt her dread threaten to overwhelm her, and she barely managed to give a standard reply.

"He... Hello, Missus Ketchum."

The woman stared at her for a second, before giving the younger woman a smile. Her expression was confused, but still the same happy one she always had, making Iris feel somehow worse. "Oh, Hello, Iris! I was expecting Ash, he was supposed to call when you got to Lacunosa. Is he near? I had something I wanted to ask him."

Iris felt her stomach spin into knots. She tried to speak, to say something of weight, but, instead, all that came out was "Hello... Missus Ketchum."

Delia stared at Iris for a second, before blinking. Her face got slightly worried. "Iris, is something wrong?"

"Hello... Missus Ketchum." She had tears in her eyes now. She tried to say something, anything, but she couldn't. Delia blinked, and a look of concern passed over her face. "Iris, what's wrong? Where's Ash?"

"I... I... He's..."

Delia frowned worriedly, and her brow furrowed. She gave Iris a firm look, and spoke up. "Iris!" The young Dragon Master jumped slightly. "He... There was a Latios, and it.. He..."

Iris looked away from the screen for a second, and felt the tears start. She was floundering now, and she forced herself to continue. "It tore everything up, and took Pikachu, and it.. It Ate Ash!"

Iris felt her body shake with a sob, and another. She cried a few more moments, using the kiosk for support. She quickly regained her composure, however, and took one deep breath, and looked back to the screen. "Ash... he's de-"

There was no one at the screen. She could still see Ash's home, but his mother was nowhere in sight. She stared for a moment, before feeling a wave of unadulterated rage build up. She gave a furious roar, and grabbed the phone Kiosk, and yanked. She lacked the strength to remove it from the wall, but she did crack it's casing. She then leaned up against the wall, and started to cry.

* * *

**A/N So, Yeah, I didn't forget Iris! Or Delia! Although, that was admittedly not my best work. Bleh. XP**

**Regardless, for those of you who think Ash/Latias are now doing well, They really aren't. I doubt they will be "Alright" until quite a bit later, probably around the halfway point. And, seeing as there are 8 planned acts, and we're only in act one... Well, yeah. It'll be a bit. But, I promise no battle couple! I hate those. Sure, they'll have an argument or two, but it won't be a common thing.**

**But, either way, I don't "Do" Drama, so if my was a cliche riddled mess, I Apologize. I don't know anything but what I've experienced in real life, either through myself, or friends, so, if those happened to be ironically cliche moments, well, Oops. XD**

**Next up! For all of those who haven't read the Black Latios, I recommend doing so immediately. That was the story that got me into Alto-shipping, and If every single one of you reviewed every single chapter, it'd be the most reviewed story for Pokemon ever, and if any story deserves that, it'd be that one. Either way, It deserves that much love, and so much more, and if you like Alto shipping, that's the story for you.**

**If you decide to review his story instead of mine as a trade, I'd still say it was worth it. ^-^**

**Also, Next chapter will be a bit. I'm gonna be rewriting the first 8 or so chapters. (Don't worry, I'm changing nothing storywise!) The chapters haven't aged well, and it's only been two months. I fear what they'd be like later, if I didn't get them up to snuff now. If you want to reread them, though, feel free to do so! You'll know when a few of them are done when I post the next chapter! XD**

**Or you could lurk, and check them daily. That method works too. **

**If you want to leave some con crit, I'd adore you forever!**

**Now, for Another Whirlwind file!**

* * *

Interdepartmental memo, Security Leaks

From: Admin Horace

To: All members of Security/engineering Dept.

Start: So, This is the last time I will be giving out this warning.

Do not discuss passwords in public. Passwords will be emailed to you when the changes are made. Do not read aloud, or write them down, or leave you activated console unattended. This is the third time we've had a security leak with the passwords, and we've lost three Lati this week alone, with two lost due to poison being added to their feeding tubes, and one to actual rescue.

There is already difficulty in finding replacements for these Lati, as you already know, and we are still not up to the_ basic_ quotas for operational use, and having to replace three Lati due to a password leak is unacceptable. Anyone caught giving out the password or having a copy on their person will be punished, or if possible, reassigned to a different department.

We are all in this together, and if we can't work to keep three Heavily sedated and restrained Lati on gastronomy tubes safe, what good are we?


	13. Bush O' Bodies

**A/N Ah... I needed that break. This chapter is small. I will not deny, but that is mainly due to the fact that A: It's supposed to be a funny little Pikachu moment, And B: I wanted to get this chapter out as quickly as possible for you guys, and I doubt I could stretch this chapter much further without getting repetitious. I hope it's good, (I haven't done much funny for a while) and don't worry, I'm already working on the next chapter. It's actually longer already then this chapter.**

**A great many thanks to My Beta, Syrup-Waffle, and all those who reviewed my last chapter! Last chapter was the most reviewed, and not only that, but I broke over 200 favs, 150 reviews, and 275 follows! This is officially my most popular story!**

**Completely gutted on September 27th, because this wasn't good in the first place, even by my previous standards. Still crap, but now it's slightly less smelly.**

* * *

Pikachu couldn't help but feel irritated as he watched Latias float off with Ash. Sure, he knew that she'd keep him safe. If anything, she'd keep him as close as she could.

But, that wasn't the biggest problem. No, his problem was that he realized that, without Ash, and his fellow pokemon, that he had nothing to do. No one to train, no one to guide, or be guided by. His entire world was centered around Ash and his journey. He had nothing that, when alone, he could do to pass the time. And, once he was done with this task, he would wait. Wait for his trainer and best friend to return.

Oh, Joy.

The electric type sighed, and rubbed his head in irritation. "Ugh... I need to get myself a hobby."

But, even if it wasn't healthy, his gut and heart told him to follow Ash, even if it told him to disobey all other orders and ideas. But, he didn't. He couldn't. He caused a problem, and he would fix it.

If Pikachu did anything, he paid for his mistakes. If he could. If he was told to. Or forced.

Alright, when he _felt_ like it, and Ash expected him to. But this was one of those times. That accepting look Ash gave Latias made it obvious that he agreed with the punishment, even if he only agreed because he was lecturing him. But either way, he did earn this punishment, regardless of how much he disagreed with it. Attacking the princess of Altomare probably wasn't his smartest move, Even if it _was_ only due to reflex.

At least the punishment was reasonable. Bend nature to his complete will. Just another day in the office.

And the inbox was filled with a large, and in his very biased opinion, very stupid looking tree. He glanced up awkwardly, and frowned as he looked at the charred leaves, bark, and branches that sat above him. Dang, that _was_ an ugly tree. He moved further under the tree's wound, and found that the hole was rather clean, if not surprisingly large. He stared at the gaping hole, and grimaced, before quickly pondering his options. The faster he finished fixing the tree, the sooner he could reunite with Ash, and prevent the Princess from having her way with him. And that was what was important. He promised that he would always protect his trainer from all threats, both foreign and domestic, and while he did wish to be an uncle some day, now wasn't the best of times, even if he did joke constantly about it.

Pikachu couldn't help but smile at the mental image that thought brought, regardless of his disagreement with it. In all honesty, a child between Latias and Ash would be adorable.

But, as sweet as the thought was, he was still in staunch refusal of it. Plus, he had better things to think about, such as becoming a grass type. He forced himself to look back at the ugly tree, and, after staring at the hole a bit more, he realized that his own sarcastic muse provided him with the answer. Surely, there had to be a grass-type or several living in the sanctuary, if only to be kept as groundskeepers. They could easily fix the tree, and then he could busy himself with cleaning the small grove of his mess.

He nodded to himself, and smiled. He had a decent plan. He dropped down onto all fours, and quickly made his way out of the grove, and quickly made his way in the direction of several large bushes, before starting to look around. If he was lucky, he wouldn't need to go far. But, as he glanced around, he found that there was a distinct lack of Grass types. Sure, there was plenty of trees, but there was not a single leafy pokemon. No Bulbasaur, no Tangrowth, not even a Bellsprout.

There was even a suspicious lack of Lati.

He frowned lightly, and looked around a bit more. If there was going to be a spot for Grass types, it would be a spot filled with considerably more trees and plants, if only to house the sanctuary's groundskeepers and keep them healthy. He glanced around, and found a spot with considerably thicker foliage in the far distance. There was his destination. He moved to go towards it, but before he could even move a foot, he felt the sudden chill of someone's eyes upon his back, hungrily gazing upon him.

He couldn't help but compare the feeling to one he felt quite often in Sinnoh. The one whenever Buneary tried to sneak up on him, and happened to have found some rope or twine.

A strange mix of immediate danger and impending doom.

Except, luckily, it couldn't be Buneary. She was supposed to be in Hoenn. At least, he prayed she was.

Wait. How close to Altomare was Hoenn?

Pikachu couldn't help but swallow, and slowly turned about, desperately praying that his previous stalker didn't manage to somehow track him down to Altomare. But, once he was completely spun around, he his watcher was nothing more than a surprised looking Latias. He blinked in an equal amount of surprise, but almost immediately after, he let loose a desperate breath. Thank Arceus, it wasn't Buneary.

He couldn't help himself, and gave his watcher a very sincere smile, and decided to add a polite wave on top of it. He knew he would eventually meet one of the hundreds of Lati that now lived in the grove, and frankly, he couldn't be happier to find one. "Hello, I'm-"

The Latias shot forward so suddenly, he only managed to dodge using his experience of five years of pokemon battling and his already prodigious reflexes. He jumped back, and the Latias' claws met nothing but sad, disappointing dirt. Pikachu felt a wave of confusion. Did he say something wrong? Was there a rule against saying Hello? Because, if there was, Ash was going to get hit around more than Brock at a Nurse Joy's family reunion. "Hey! I-"

She lunged forward again, and this time, it was far easier to dodge, simply because he knew what to expect. Pikachu felt a pang of annoyance, this Latias was, ironically, very slow on the uptake, and broadcasted her movements blatantly.

Oh, and she also randomly attacked him. That part was irritating too. He glanced at her, and saw the hungry look in her eye, and his mind put two and two together.

She was hunting him.

Just like Buneary, but for hopefully differing reasons. He rolled the thought around his head for a moment, before deciding that either way, it didn't matter. He hadn't had a good life or death battle in months.

He dodged another clumsy lunge, and he lightly double-tapped his tail on her cheek as he jumped over, just to let her know how over her head she was. She looked surprised at the move, and, turned around, giving him one of the harshest glares he'd ever seen since he did the same thing to One of Ash's grass types. His grin turned into a cocky smirk. Baiting her was apparently very easy too. Reminded him of a certain little Chikorita-turned-Bayleaf.

Pikachu shuddered at the thought of what she would do to him if he did that seemed that all the females he knew on a personal level were completely insane. Buneary, Glaceon, Chikorita, Emolga and Snivy. Heck, Even Pidgeot was insane!

Wait, scratch that. He had yet to meet someone nearly insane as that bird. She just didn't show it.

The revelation was so unexpected that Pikachu didn't notice that his opponent hadn't attacked again until she was almost finished forming a very familiar move. Draco Meteor. He couldn't help but get pulled from his horror, and instead, found himself staring incredulously. Why did this Latias remind him so much of A completely insane rabbit? Hitting it doesn't work? Blow it the hell up.

His mind immediately ran into panic mode, and he quickly pondered his options. Thunder was a no-go, might make the unformed attack explode. Volt tackle basically involved him running directly into the thing head on, and that sounded hilariously suicidal. The old fallback it is. He shot forward, and did a small front flip over his opponent and presented his counter; A overpowered Iron tail to the back of her skull. She immediately dropped like a sack of flour, and watched as the finished Draco meteor shot off into the distance.

He hoped that it didn't hit anyone he knew.

Who was he kidding. It would, and he could even name the guy.

Pikachu turned his head to look at her as he slid to a stop. She was just... sitting there. Unmoving. He stared for several moments, before a thought came to his mind.

"Awwww, Shit. Ash is gonna be so angry if I killed her." Pikachu quickly glanced around, and found that, ironically, there were no witnesses. That's a first.

He quickly put his head to her chest, and, after a moment, heard a heartbeat. He let loose the breath he didn't know he was holding, and couldn't help but give a small smile, if only though relief. She wasn't dead. He nodded in satisfaction to himself, and contemplated going to his destination, before realizing something. If someone found her... They would quickly look for an intruder or an attacker. Which he was now, apparently. And so, the choice was obvious; He had to hide the body. He looked around for a bit, and spotted a large bush. Perfect.

He turned to the unconscious Latias, and using his herculean strength for his size, grabbed her by the wing, and pulled. She slid barely a foot, which, comparatively, was a very good distance. He pulled again, and again, and, slowly, carefully, pulled the body towards the nearby bush. After several more moments of pulling, he managed to get the body into the foliage. It still looked... off. He pushed her in some more, but he lacked the strength to do much more. So, he crawled up onto her, and tried to push her down from above. But, his small body lacked the weight to push his newest screw up into the bush.

He looked down, before making a face-palm. There was still _one_ way to push her into the bush. He sighed, and put a paw to his face. He had a feeling that this would be like the Pokemon island accident all over again. But this time, he didn't have Charmander to dig all the holes.

He crawled up onto the Latias, and hopped up, and stomped down on her. She sunk a bit, and Pikachu sighed.

"Sorry-*Thump*-Sorry-*Thump*-Sorry!"

After a couple more tries, the Latias was completely submerged in the bush. Pikachu frowned, and shook his head. Hopefully, this would go smoothly from now on.

"Hey! Stop right there, crim-"

***CRACK***

Before the starter could stop himself, he reflexively shot forward and bounced an iron tail solidly into the newcomer's soft, untrained skull. And, just like the previous Lati, it slumped over, and became deathly still.

Pikachu looked down at the body, and stared blankly for a moment, before his mind caught up to the current events. "The hell, Me?!"

He gave another look around, and, spotting no further witnesses, grabbed the considerably larger Latios, and began pulling him to the nearby bush. It was big enough to fit two bodies, right? Pikachu sighed in exasperation as he drug the much heavier Latios, and quickly searched his mind for a way out of this. But, regardless of how he checked, This time, it took considerably longer, but, when he was done, the bush looked... kinda normal. Sure, if someone were to look inside, they'd notice two bodies, but what bush wasn't full of bodies these days? He had certainly never had a shortage of bushes filled with the bodies of the fallen on his trips through the world, this _had_ to be a common thing.

He slowly stepped away, ignoring the low moans of pain, and looked towards his destination. The trees. He had to get to the trees before someone saw-

"A Pikachu?"

***CRACK***

And, thus, another, very small Latias hit the ground, unconscious. Pikachu didn't even question himself this time. He was in too deep. There was no going back. This one was considerably smaller then the other two, and he quickly drug the female to the bush. This time, he barely managed to get her covered in leaves, if only for lack of space. He'd need to find a different place to stash his bodies.

But, before he could consider a new location, He heard a moan, and watched with terror as one of the unconscious bodies slowly rise. He felt a massive pang on panic, and quickly clocked the lati on the head with a second iron tail. It quickly slumped over, and Pikachu fell over, panting.

This was definitely going to be another Pokemon Island fiasco. He was going to need some rope.

* * *

A quick trip to Lorenzo's abandoned shed ended up being his salvation. Sure, it was boarded up from the other side, and it provided him with no escape from the sanctuary in case things went downhill, but it did provide him with several hundred feet of rope and even some stakes. A treasure trove, if there ever was one. After all, as earlier proved, those lati could just wake back up. He needed something to keep them held down, at least long enough for Ash to return.

Ash would save him.

* * *

He never said it was his brightest idea.

After a bit of watching the bush, he decided that, if he had something to dissuade other Lati from looking at said bush too closely, he could leave.

So, he made a sign.

It was brilliant, really. He honestly didn't think he could've done better, even if Ash was here, helping him write the words. Too bad Lati couldn't read, as it turned out.

And now, he was sitting on top of two more Lati, trying to figure out where to put them.

Because the original bush was full. Because, of course it was. Fate had always refused to smile upon Pikachu before, so why would it now?

As he looked around, he made a point to ignore the struggling pair of tied Lati behind him.

"You aren't gonna get away with- MMMMPH!"

Pikachu rolled his eyes as he shoved a dirty sock into the elder Lati's mouth. Apparently the older ones were considerably harder to knock out. His sore tail and the several lumps on the squirming Lati's head were a testament to that. "Oh, my dear Latios, that's where you're wrong. I _will_ get away with this."

He gently put a paw onto the Latios' cheek, and patted it. "So, you have any idea where your sanctuary keepers are?"

The elder Lati simply gave him a glare, and the electric type sighed. "Oh, sure, just give me the silent treatment. Real mature."

The mouse then frowned, and continued looking around. Normally, he'd just march towards his destination, but, with the reception he'd gotten so far, that sounded like either suicide, or a way to become immortalized in song. And while the second one sounded rather fun, he didn't think Latias would appreciate him laying waste to all of her subjects.

Pikachu felt his eye twitch a bit, and he gave another sigh. At the rate he was going, he was going to have a loooooong day.

* * *

**A/N So, there you are! One side of Pikachu being insane, with hopefully something that could be considered humor. I hope you thought it was worth the five minutes, (Or, most likely considerably less) of reading, and I'll have you know that this moment isn't over. It will, however, be continued in a chapter or two. **

**Next chapter is a kinda exposition chapter, but I'll try and make it as interesting as I possibly can. Cross your fingers!**


	14. Legends and myths

**A/N And here's the newest chapter! I had fun writing this one, and it has a whole heap of foreshadowing, if you know where to look. And how to look at it. Squint your eyes, and tilt your head a bit, and you'll see it, I think.**

**So, I have a hearty thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter! And a message to the guest, whomever they are. I think it was the same person, three times, but I'm not sure. **

**Thank you, Guest, (Whoever you are) for being completely honest with me! (Same goes to all those who complained about weirdness, which the last chap admittedly was)**

**I apologize for your dissatisfaction. And while the last chapter was supposed to be a breather chapter, for calming down, I may have taken it a little overboard, and made it crack-y.**

**If any of you wish to forget that chapter, feel free to see it as a Omake. It didn't hold any plot significance, beyond some character portrayal, so it can be easily ignored, if you wish. **

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Welp, either way, Here's the next chapter!**

**Both updated and improved, because life is full of surprises. **

* * *

Ash couldn't help but feel awkward as he sat there, his large, still somewhat alien body sitting in a chair clearly not made for his size. Sure, he was alone, with the sole exception of a particular old dragon, who seemed content to sit in the silence, but he still made sure to stare forward and trying to keep from meeting anyone's eyes.

Sure, it wasn't the hardest task, as the lobby was empty except for the older disguised lati, but he still felt the need to try. Too bad the elder was very insistent that they meet eyes, though. But he continually refused, seeing as he was still hung up on what he had just done previously. He had more important things to think about.

After all, he was now technically engaged. To a dragon. One who, admittedly, had always been on his "maybe" list, even if it was only due to the fact that she was his first kiss. However, now that the "maybe" had become a "Right now, this second," he found that he couldn't be more hesitant. He was fifteen, for Arceus' sake, and he hadn't even dated yet, let alone done anything to understand the intricacies of a relationship.

And he was also swamped with a massive list of things he didn't know how to deal with as well. He knew nothing of romance, beyond the requirement of fidelity. He knew nothing of being a dragon, or how he was supposed to feel about the situation. All he was sure of was that his mix of feelings were probably not a normal part of the romantic process.

He was now completely confused, irritated, and in a very intimate relationship that was almost literally thrust upon him against his will, with mostly guilt holding him in it. Even he, Ash Ketchum, insensitive and dense trainer extraordinaire knew that couldn't be the healthiest relationship base. And not only that, but he was going to be held by some other species' standard for relationships, a standard he knew absolutely nothing about.

Sure, his new-found partner knew that he wouldn't know much, nor would she probably care, but what about everyone else? Chances are, he'd screw up, and accidentally insult her in front of others, or worse, and did something that made _her_ look bad. He already knew how Pikachu bred, and he knew how a rejection for some kinds of advances would make the user seem undesirable. For all he knew, him rejecting her claim could be just like that, and it would ruin all of her other prospects at having a mate, especially because he probably wasn't the most desirable. If the village idiot rejected you, you were officially a horrible choice as a mate. And he refused to mess up Latias even more. He owed her that, at least.

Ash couldn't help but sigh unhappily, and put a claw up to his head in exasperation. He knew he wasn't the brightest bulb, nor the sharpest crayon, But he had always been able to take whatever screw-ups he made in stride, if only because they fell on his shoulders, and no one else's. But now, due to her claim, chances were that everything he did would now also shine upon Latias as well. And it would take more than common sense to avoid his screw ups. This time it actually required knowledge he didn't have.

The sense of impending doom wasn't pleasant. But, on the bright side, he was quite used to it at this point.

The young Lati sighed a second time, and forced his mind to a different, but equally important topic. After all, there was also the reactions of Pikachu and his mom to think about. Pikachu, ironically, would be the easiest to deal with, seeing as the electric type was already hesitant with Latias being in the same room as him. The spirited mouse was probably already giving hell to the first person that would listen to his rants back at the Sanctuary, without any doubt. But the electric type had proven himself time and time again that he would follow him blindfolded into hell while singing showtunes, regardless of his feelings on the matter, and Ash knew that he would continue to do so, just to ensure that he would be safe. This would probably just end up being another "You're such an idiot, let me fix it" moments for the mouse. In the end, it would work out, just because it would.

His mom, however...

He shuddered to think of her reaction if she got wind of this. And, the further in the relationship he got (if it actually went anywhere), the worse it would be. He was pretty sure that she would just start aiming to kill if he ended up... _finalizing_ it. If it did end up working out, it might be better if she continued to think he was dead.

That sense of dread, however, he couldn't just shake away.

* * *

While Ash was lost in his thoughts, the elder dragon watched him with considerable, if heavily masked, interest. He actually found himself rather amused with the rapidly changing expressions the dragon's face shown, and, if he'd been younger, he might have even teased him a bit for it. However, The youth was obviously concerned, that much was obvious, and a jab from one considerably older might not be seen as friendly teasing between males. It might be seen as a condescending remark, or worse, and outright insult.

Besides, the male obviously wished to ponder things on his own, but Lorip knew better than most that drowning in your worries and concerns could drive one quite mad, especially if they were about something they couldn't change. It seemed a change of topics was in order. The elder pondered for a innocent topic, and decided on something light, and happy. "So, What are your intentions for our lovely princess?"

The young male blinked once in confusion, before his cheeks flushed into a shining crimson, which quickly brought a soft smile to the elder shade's face. Youth could be so shy, and they always seemed to think that their situation was "unique". The youth quickly sputtered out a reply, and barely managed something that could be considered words. "Er, I, um, you-"

Lorip couldn't help but chuckle at the youth's reaction, and after an extremely short moment of contemplation, moved forward, and gave a gentle reassuring pat on the seemingly larger shoulder of the undisguised dragon. This was what he loved about being an elder, even if that title held no meaning anymore. He was honor-bound to help the next generation move forward, while preventing them from making your mistakes. Lorip had lived a long life, and he had made a great many mistakes. And he could not think of any better way to atone for his past sins then preventing the next generation from committing them again. And so, Lorip would put this youth at ease.

And it wasn't just because the young Lati was precious to the princess, and as such, precious to him. No, it was because, for some reason, he felt that he was needed here, giving his wisdom to a young, inexperienced Lati who actually needed it. He could feel it in his gut; This Dragon would be special. And not only that, but he'd be damned if he would refuse a youth the council he needed. He wouldn't fail again. "Relax, My dear boy. I know you wouldn't think of harming our princess. I just want to know how your relationship would be."

Ash blinked, and couldn't help but look totally confused, his blush still burning on his face. Lorip continued his smile however, and a small speck of pity formed for him. The youth was still probably rather shell-shocked, and probably didn't catch the full meanings of his words. It certainly couldn't hurt either of them to elaborate further.

"I mean, will you stay here with her, and help her with running the herd? Or, will you simply make the bond, and leave, coming back on occasion and spend time with her when you visit?"

He expected a look of understanding, or at least a look of irritation at being treated as, well, a youth, but instead, he continued to look confused. Lorip couldn't help but feel slightly confused himself, however, that expression quickly changed to one that looked very insulted. A little too insulted for his previous expectations. "Huh? Who would just, well, leave their mate like that?"

It was know the elder Legendary's turn to look confused, and Lorip quickly found himself caught off guard. He pondered the youth's reaction for a moment. That wasn't the normal reaction. Maybe, if he was a Changeling, he could understand, but a Sky-Dancer? They were very well known for their desire for freedom and wander-lust. One that didn't wish to be free was like a Shade that was afraid of the dark. Backwards. He thought to himself for a short moment, before giving a carefully thought out response. He was missing something. "Well, it is a very common thing for Lati, after all. Many are often unwilling to stay in one place for a while, especially for something as trivial as being near their mate at all times. Their mate isn't going anywhere, and even if they did, there is always afterward."

Lorip had hoped that Ash would react different then last time, but he was quickly proven that, even at old age, he could see something completely unexpected. "That's not right. If you're gonna be with someone, why leave them?"

Lorip stared at Ash for a moment, before raising an eyebrow in skepticism. That was a very strange belief, for a lati. He searched his aged mind for a explanation, and quickly noticed something. He didn't know of this youth's herd. He either forgot, which was possible, or he never asked. It was entirely possible that the youth was raised in a Changeling herd, or some Herd from some of the somewhat uninhabited lands to the far south, one of those who had considerably differing customs than most. "That is a... unique mindset. If I may ask, Which herd were you from again? I believe I forgotten in my old age."

It was the youth's turn to look surprised again, and he sat there for a moment, before coming to his senses. Lorip watched a tiny hint of conflict appear on his face, and he felt a hint of suspicion form. It only grew when the youth all but shout out his response. "Well, I was, er, Human-raised."

Lorip's mouth made a small "o", and he sat there for a moment, pondering his options. That was definitely not the whole truth. However, it did answer far too many questions for comfort. His somewhat dirty feathers, a distinct lack of the more... intimate preening, his demeanor and body language. They all screamed either orphan or considerable neglect, but it was also obvious he was raised by _someone_. It was clear that he wasn't neglected, certainly, and all evidence pointed to a human. Clean and kept from looking messy, but not kept as a pokemon would have it. But, regardless of how he rolled it around in his head, it felt off. He was hiding _something_. He stared at the youth, and he looked as if he was awaiting judgement, as if he wouldn't believe him. The male kept a secret.

But, regardless, the boy's response made too much sense. Lorip considered pushing the fact, but he ended up choosing against that idea, simply because the princess trusted this Lati explicitly. And she didn't even give her most loyal servant, himself, that much faith. No, this youth had earned her complete faith in some way, and if she trusted him fully, Lorip would do so as well, only because he trusted _her_. After a extremely short mental debate, he decided that whatever secret this youth held, if there even was one, would continue to be his. For now. "Ah. That explains much." The elder then stroked his non-existent beard in false contemplation, before looking back at the youth. "It makes sense, I will admit. Who else would our princess cherish so, if not someone just like her."

Ash stared for a moment, and Lorip continued. If this child was, in fact, human raised, then he would know nothing of his kind, or it's culture. Now that sounded familiar, and better yet, something he could help with. "I can also understand your viewpoint. After all, I was the one who taught her how to be a Lati, and we have both held many debates over the choices many Lati have. She understands that others think that way, and I understand that she won't follow the rules and common expectations to the letter. I guess that's what makes her such a great leader. The ability to do what she thinks is best, not what everyone expects."

Lorip nodded, and snuck a glance at the Sky-Dancer's face as he flipped a page in his paper. They youth looked intrigued, and he certainly wasn't faking that. "But, back to the topic at hand. As the princess' faithful servant, I can offer you the same lessons I gave her."

The young Legendary nodded excitedly and his face broke into a big smile, and Lorip returned the gesture. Yes, he would trust in his princess. And while he knew that she wasn't infallible, she definitely had a reason to trust this youth so much, beyond saving her.

The fact that she wasn't completely uninterested in a mate was admittedly a great boon as well. Honestly, he was truly worried his princess would never fall for someone. They were called the Eon _Duo_ for a reason, and it wasn't because they had a slight penchant for having identical twins. He turned to the young Lati, and smiled brightly. He was now sure this dragon would go on to do great things. But first, he needed to take his first baby steps, as it were. It would again be his honor to be the teacher of such a promising youth.

Lorip casually flipped a page in his newspaper, and casually noted that he had managed to make it onto the personals. "Your claimed, She was a excellent student, and I am sure you will be the same. Do you have anything you wish to know immediately, young Sky-Dancer?"

Ash pondered the question for several moments, and Lorip simply gave him the time. They were there until the princess was released, after all, and if his reaction was genuine, they had all the time in the world to discuss the intricacies of their species. The youth sat there for several moments, and his face became awash with multiple emotions. But, before Lorip could question, Ash quickly perked up, and replied. "Umm...Yeah, actually. Why does everyone call me a Sky-Dancer? And what is a Sky-Dancer anyway?"

Lorip gave the young Lati a grin, and chuckled. That was a very loaded question. And, it had a equally hefty answer. He shuffled his paper in his hands, and flipped a page. He hoped the youth wasn't against stories, as this one was a long one, if he told it right. "Well, to answer that question, I need to tell you a story. And a Story to explain that story."

The youth simply nodded, and he seemed to accept his terms, although he did seemed confused by his wording. Lorip, however, couldn't help himself, and smiled brightly. Storytime it was. It was a penchant of his to tell the young ones stories as often as he could manage, and it was always a joy for him to pass on his shortcomings, knowledge, and experiences onto others. He quickly shuffled through his memories, and attempted to recall the legend, along with the opening he gave the Princess herself. It kept her attention well enough, he supposed, and if it was good enough for her, it should be good enough for him.

"Well, first off, before I tell you anything about Sky-dancers themselves, you should know that all those stories Humans have for us are greatly exaggerated. But, at the same time, they aren't. You see, a normal run-of-the-mill Lati has little hope of out-flying any Jet-based human aircraft in a race, besides the slowest of them. Human aircraft are capable of flying far faster then sound, after all. And yet, they think we can. No "normal" Lati can seemingly transform into a human either. Nor turn perfectly invisible, or sense others feelings and intent, or dive to the deepest depths of the ocean. And yet, Humans, the record keepers of Mew herself, think we can. Why do you think that is?"

Ash thought for a moment, before shrugging awkwardly. "Because they over-exaggerate?"

Lorip smiled. "No, however that is a rather common guess. No, they think we can fly fast because_ you_ can."

Ash simply looked confused, but Lorip continued "You see, A Sky-Dancer is the lord of the skies. You can fly far faster then I could at my best while you are simply coasting, and I have little doubt that you can do maneuvers in the air that would make me ill just by watching them be done. In fact, I get ill doing anything more then a normal flip. But you could probably fly literal circles around me while going what you consider slow, and I am five times your age and probably have eight times your experience and skill."

Ash smiled a bit at the praise, and Lorip found solace in that. It seemed he reacted well to praise. However, the elder immediately continued. "However, if you were to say, try and turn invisible, I could spot you easily. I am a shade, and_ I _am the reason why they think Lati can become invisible. Because _I_ can. All a Normal Lati's feathers can do is blend the colors around them, and add a basic illusion to dissuade attention. Good, if they stood still. But moving? Easily spotted, even by the most inattentive of watchers."

Ash nodded, starting to get the gist. "Our Princess would be the reason why Humans think we can transform. Because Changelings are the masters of illusions. Although, admittedly, any Lati could use a high level illusion with enough experience and skill. But a changeling also has increased power, and their illusions are, pound for pound, infinitely better. Same with your speed. Someone could practice and exercise their wings until they couldn't fly, and get to be as good of a flier as you could after a decade or two. Someone could also become as good with their stealth through illusions, but, a fifteen year old changeling's disguises are almost as good as my eighty year old self's. And she can disguise others at the same time, something I simply cannot do. Same with your flying, I could have practiced my speed and acrobatics, and once I reached the age I am now, I would be as good as you would be at twenty or so. "

Lorip continued. "You see, naturally, a Sky Dancer's wings are much larger then a normal Lati's comparatively, and their make-up is much denser, and your body is made to do aerial maneuvers without getting dizzy, or sick. A Changeling's mind is made to work far more efficiently when it comes to psychic powers, and a lot of their powers are actually instinctual, making their execution simple for them. They can even teleport, something no other Lati can do, however, their range is limited to sight. And a Shade, well, my feathers are much, much finer, and are considerably more complex. One of your feathers is the size of twenty of mine. And yet, one of my feathers equals three of yours in terms of definition."

Ash thought about this for a moment, and a confused expression dawned on his face. "Well, how are all the Lati so different?"

Lorip smiled. "There are many guesses, but the one I believe in was by breeding. As I said, I'd have to tell you a story. That was merely the introduction."

Lorip flipped a page in his newspaper, and sighed. He hadn't told this story like this in over three decades. The princess had no love for legends and stories, and demanded that he cut the chase, and just tell her the short version. And while he did do so, he felt that she missed out on some of the morals the legends taught you. He smiled internally as he started. First and foremost, he was a storyteller.

"Long ago, long long ago, there were five herds of Lati. They were the greatest and largest collection of any similar Pokemon in existence, and as such, were properly feared. The Five Great Herds, as they were called, were spread throughout the lands of this great planet, and as such, had much territory held under their watch. And this is where the problems came in. Now, each herd was about the same as any other, but they all lived in different areas, Had different hunting grounds. One, lived in the high mountain tops, far above all else, atop The Great Mount Brnando, North of Unova. Another lived on the coasts of the area now known as Kalos. Another lived in some of the greatest plains on the planet, the ones that are now the Kanto Safari zone. A fourth lived at the base of Mount Pyre, in the vast system of caves below. And the last lived near Cinnabar Island, where the Volcanoes continually erupted. Now, Humans, they were not the only beings that practiced warfare. And while, admittedly, Humanity has a considerably higher skill for it, these five herds fought each other endlessly."

Ash frowned, and the elder continued. "Nowadays, Lati are able to breed and pair off as they wish, but back then, and even a fifty to a hundred years ago, population was always a valid concern. But let's not focus on such recent events, and instead focus on the reasons they had so long ago. Back then, Lati had a single genuine competitor to their lands and status as the Alpha Predator. You know them as Humanity."

Lorip couldn't help but smile internally at the look of awe on the young Lati's face. "Humanity didn't possess the complete overwhelming dominance they have today, and as such, were ironically more dangerous. As a way to protect themselves, they would immediately retaliate against all who attacked them viciously and without mercy, killing all of those who stood beside their attackers, if only to make a point. A dragon who kills the entire village is far more dangerous then the one who attacks only the trespasser, and who would steal from one who would try to drive you extinct to make an example? And, due to our strengths, Lati were the biggest trespassers around, the only predator able to keep up with humanity for food and land. Sure, one of the Great Herds could wipe out a Human city, maybe even several, but then, a hundred of it's neighbors would stand up together to destroy the new threat."

Lorip took a breath, and continued. "Humanity was dangerous, far more dangerous than any single Herd, but they were not without kindness. Humans never attacked those who left them alone beyond hunting, and respected claimed lands of others, and so it was decided. Claim what land they needed, and stay out of humanity's way. Needless to say, many were not happy with this, but the herds found themselves with little choice. Sure, if they united all the great herds, they had a good chance. But, the Herds refused Teamwork, and as such, separated themselves from the others for the most part. And so, Lati had expanded greatly, taking land they thought would be enough for their needs."

This worked for many years, and the lands they claimed kept them prosperous and well fed. But, while they kept stagnant, Humanity did not. They quickly claimed all the lands that the Lati had left, and populated them with their own kind. And, after many decades, if not centuries of prosperity, the herds found that the lands they claimed were not enough for their growing populations. However, when they looked around them, they found that all those open lands surrounding them were now claimed by humans, kept from their reach."

Lorip took a short pause, and used this to look at Ash. He looked contemplative, and Lorip smiled. He seemed to be getting it. "Now, This previously manageable problem had grown out of their control. Now, they were forced to manage their populations, so they didn't step on the toes of Humans or run out of food, and induce mass starvation. And humanity continued as they always had, and kept their side of the unspoken agreement, fervently avoiding the admittedly massive sects of land the Great Herds had claimed. A clumsy attempt at diplomacy, but it worked well enough. Attacking Humanity for land now wasn't seen as acceptable, if only due to them keeping their honor in this unspoken agreement. However, the other Herds didn't have this protection. And thus, the previously simmering anger and hatred were now focused on each other."

"Now, at this point, Lati couldn't wage war like humanity, which involved drowning the enemy in your blood, due to their forcibly contained populations. It took a long time to move between battlegrounds, and food was still a considerable concern, as at this point, Lati had no affinity for the sea, and fishing was a difficult and dangerous task. Along with this, they couldn't just allow everyone to breed; that would incite mass starvation, so there was difficulty replacing casualties. Every Lati lost was a large blow, and it took years to replace them. And so, after much consideration, Lati chose to take a page from, ironically, humanity's book, and use selective breeding, although not on their companions, like Humans did for Growlith, but on themselves."

"And seeing as most Lati weren't allowed to pair off at this point, and as such, produce offspring, it was surprisingly easy to allow pairs with desirable traits to produce eggs. It wasn't the most thought out plan, but Lati have always looked up to humanity in a way, if only due to their creativity and intelligence. If humanity could do it with random Pokemon who wandered into their homes, why couldn't they manage to make better, more powerful Lati?"

Lorip frowned internally, and gave Ash a short moment to process the significance of this. But, after a minute, he continued. "Well, it started with the herds from The mountains of Unova and the Coasts of Kalos, but I doubt you want to hear about those when I could just tell you your birthright. Well, Either way, when the word had gotten to the distant pair of remaining herds, the Plains and the volcanic islands, they decided to follow suit, and selectively breed as well. Now, unlike all the other Herds, these two were actually rather close, in both proximity and in spirit, due to their shared boarders and long-standing habit of allowing their Herds to interbreed and assist each other. As such, when the idea of breeding desirable traits traveled to them, the quickly decided to help each other breed in those traits. Due to the considerably increased population, Those two became the ones that were some of the most radically different. The Sky-dancers, and the Shades."

Ash gave the elder a confused face. "How are those two so different from the others?"

Lorip chuckled. "Well, it should be rather obvious. A Current chaser from Kalos? Can hold their breath a lot longer, and can swim fast and withstand pressure, they could also fish at that point, which was a unprecedented boon, which would become important later. But you, a Sky-Dancer? You have hollow bones, and bigger, denser wings, far greater Psychic energy reserves than I could hope for, eyes that see better into the distance, and the ability to keep your lunch while spinning, which I think is the most impressive. And Shades, well, we are more than high quality feathers, and let's leave it at that."

Ash blinked. "Huh."

Lorip nodded, and gave the youth a smile. He wasn't finished with the story, but this seemed like a good place for an intermission. "But, before I continue, do you have any other questions?"

He quickly nodded. "Well, er, how did the herd's leaders get away with this? Didn't everyone just get angry?"

Lorip smiled sadly, and shook his head. He caught on quick. "Ah, I thought you'd wonder about that. Now, it wasn't really all that popular I believe, however, the fact that Lati were prevented from pairing off in the first place made this somewhat acceptable. After all, a pair can't breed without a bond, and it is very easy to control that, seeing as it cannot be hidden. So, they just gave some Lati that had a improved trait the green light as it were to breed with a female who was also allowed. Controlled population, the ability to choose, and a eugenics program, all in one."

Lorip frowned, and he stared at the young dragon in front of him. He needed to emphasize this bit. "However, there was a considerably more powerful factor. Lati didn't do this for their herd, or their leader. At the beginning, when it mattered, they were doing this for their children. They thought they would win this "War," and get more land. And with more land, there could be more offspring. More offspring, more couples allowed. They were basically fighting for their children's right to mate with who they chose."

Lorip's face turned into a serious frown. "Do not underestimate the power of those fighting for their children."

Ash nodded quickly, and Lorip's expression lessened. He had gotten his point across. "But, back to the original story. Where was I? Oh, yes. Shades and Sky-Dancers. Both were the most different, simply because they had the biggest population to choose from, due to their alliance. Sky-Dancers had easily the most land, huge swathes of mountain and forest. And Shades, they chose a area that no one truly wanted, a land infested with dark types. And, as a bonus, they had already began down the paths of adapting and becoming more, simply because of where they lived."

"You see, While they had a very large amount of land, there was less edible pokemon per mile than most others. They had to travel more to hunt, and had to fly faster to make it back home before nightfall, where Murkrow and ghost types would begin to hunt. The faster, more proficient hunters survived, and the slower, less aerial inclined died off. As for the shades, they lived in a land infested with Dark types, who hunted Psychic types for prey. But, instead of growing stronger, they grew sneakier, stealthier. They stopped getting ambushed, and instead did the ambushing. The land changed them, though. Instead of growing closer to their fellow Lati, like Sky-Dancers and Changelings, they grew more distant. Dark types were pragmatic, and they would often use whatever they could to hunt, be it a egg, a hatchling, someone's mate. Hurt, break, rape, Dark types would do it, simply to get food or revenge. And this fact changed the breed. They became pragmatic as well, willing to harm, lie, cheat, torture to do the same. They ended up putting the energy meant for our fellow Lati into our specie's creed of duty. As such, Shades are the most... detached of the Lati species. As the saying goes, those who hunt monsters are in danger of becoming them."

Lorip paused, and shook his head. "Oh, I apologize, I seemed to have gotten off topic. Yes, Sky-Dancers. They are a more social breed. Mainly due to the distance they had to travel, they spent less time in large groups, and more in small pods of twenty/thirty when they traveled. They moved around constantly, and traveling in a herd of nearly a thousand is slow and difficult. And as such, they split up into much smaller groups, and usually stayed with them, becoming much more friendly and open with others, and are more comfortable with those they know. But are always ready to "welcome" a new member to their social circle, seeing as breeding within one's pod was frowned upon."

The elder shade hesitated at that, and sighed. He nearly forgot. "Oh, and, before I forget, I should tell you that there were some side effects."

Ash cocked his head to the side in confusion, and Lorip recognized his error. "Oh! I meant, side effects for the breeding. For example, Shades, like me, are often detached and uncaring about others, as I've said. Their location and situation, along with inbreeding, were heavy factors for making the traits the breeds possess, as some were recessive. Every so often, a cousin or... someone slightly closer would be required to breed to make sure the children had the trait."

Ash stuck a tongue out in disgust. Lorip nodded in sympathy, and continued. "Well, As such, nearly every breed has a genetic... quirk. Yes, let's call it that, for the sake of politeness. Sky-Dancers often have attention or disciplinary problems, such as ADD, and have a horrible sense of localized direction. Want them to go to Kalos, sure, but asking them to look around this city? You'd probably be lost for quite some time. Changelings, well, they can be very obsessive. Also, they can have heart problems. I don't believe that the Princess has this, as it's usually quite obvious, But I'm just giving you proper warning, just in case."

Ash couldn't help but frown lightly. "What kind of, well, problem?"

Lorip sighed lightly, and returned the frown. "Well, usually one side of the heart doesn't develop. As I said, it's usually very obvious. I figured I should tell you, as you might have to know this, when you two breed. No reason to go in blind, after all. I'd hate for it to be a complete surprise if you found this out too late."

The young male nodded hesitantly, choosing not to ponder on that thought. "So...

But, before the elder dragon could say anything else, A Nurse opened the nearby door with a surprising flourish, and immediately met eyes with Ash. And glared. And while Lorip understood why she kicked him out, he still felt a pang of irritation at the unfriendly glare the nurse gave his young ward. "Dragon, your mate will be at least an hour, and no, you cannot join her in her room again. And while this isn't an order... I would like to ask you to leave. You're scaring the trainers."

Lorip found himself rather miffed at the nurse's tone as well. Sure, again, she had a reason to be angry with him, or else he wouldn't be talking with the youth, but she was still being very rude. After a short moment of contemplation, he decided to do something about it. He cleared his throat, and stood up, looking the nurse in the eye. "Very well. I shall return for my Pokemon in one hour."

Both the nurse, and Ash, stared incredulously at him, and Lorip found himself worrying that he messed up the voice. But, the nurse quickly caught herself, and she backpedaled. "Your... Pokemon?"

Lorip nodded. He was admittedly concerned about his quality, seeing as he hadn't used this illusion in quite some time, and it was one of the more complex. "Yes. My Pokemon. I had my other Pokemon, her mate, take her here, as she seemed to be having some difficulties, and he would've been much faster. I arrived afterward. However, there has seemed to be a lack of Nurses around, and I found myself unable to check in for her."

The Nurse, and Ash, stared blankly. Had Lorip not been under his illusion, they would've immediately noticed how nervous he was. He took a silent breath, and continued. "However, if we are not allowed to enter her room, I will fulfill your wishes, and leave the building for an hour." He quickly looked over at the young male, and nodded. "Come along, Ash."

The Nurse simply sat there for a moment, looking shell-shocked, before she came to her senses. "Wait!"

Lorip looked back at the woman, and nodded. It seems he managed to do it. "Yes?"

The Nurse looked certainly awkward, and fiddled with her skirt a bit. After a short moment, she sighed, and looked up. "I'm sorry for the hassle. I'll take you to your pokemon."

* * *

**A/N Aaaaaand, here we are! This chapter was exceptionally exposition-y, and as such, was probably drier than month old beef jerky left in the desert. But still, it was rather fun to write. Now, the next chap will be all kinds of Ash/Latias interaction, under the watchful eye of the slightly delusional Lorip. **

**Speaking of Lorip, what's your guys opinion on him? I'd love to hear what you think about him. Or the story, chapter, or, well, anything, for that matter. Anything is good to me! **

**I love your criticism, and I would love more, be it completely overbearing, laughably underwhelming, or just plain normal!**


	15. Serendipity

**A/N *Whew* Alright, chapter 15, the big one five, is done. Now, I knew it was hard for those that constantly updated, but now, I can really appreciate their work. It's tougher then I thought! XD**

**Alright, I broke over 200 reviews and 300 follows since last chapter, and that is cause to celebrate! Seeing as I cannot really "give" gifts, I'll just settle for giving everyone an answer. If you got a question, any question, I'll answer it if I am capable. But you gotta be specific, and no spreading the answer around. But be careful, cause if you don't think the question through, I might not answer the question the way you want, and you only get one, for fairness' sake. So, as I've said, be specific. **

**I'll even give you a free one! There will be no lemons in this story. Sorry, but I promised a friend I wouldn't in this story, and as such, no smexy times. **

**And a great thanks to my Beta! The ever-so-awesome Syrup-waffle! He's awesome, and deserves hugs, or whichever form of affection he prefers.**

**Now, onto the chapter!  
**

* * *

Latias sighed unhappily as she sat in her hospital bed, waiting for the nurse to return. Apparently, they wanted to do even more tests. She didn't know what they were searching for, but she hoped that, with the amount of blood, saliva, and... other samples, that they would not only know just about everything else that is wrong with her, but tell her the eye color of her future children. Seriously, they had done everything short of shoving a camera down her throat. And they may be planning even that. She'd seen the look the doctor gave her. He was planning something devious and intrusive.

That, or something far, far worse. They were planning on giving her some vaccinations.

And as such, she definitely wasn't the happiest Lati. That much was certain.

She had her claws poked, her mouth prodded every which-way, and while they used a very effective pain killer beforehand, they even drawn a good half-pint of blood. And she didn't like them for it. And it certainly didn't help their case when they literally buzz-killed one of the happiest moments in her life. Ash agrees to be her mate? Hit him with a bedpan, and pull out a giant needle. And with the way they behaved, it was as if they expected her to be relieved that there was a needle, as if she expected them to draw blood using some archaic system involving leeches and a rusty dagger blessed by some strange deity.

If anything, it seemed more like a bad comedy skit then reality, but no, it was her life. Where most would get a mate, settle down, and have a couple eggs, she would fall in love with a human. Where most would find themselves a normal relationship, she would find that the human she loved was now, for some reason beyond her explanation, a Lati. Not even something completely standard, such as an agreement to try a claim would go right. No, hers had to be built off of some sort of guilt, and a shaky agreement to try their best to make each other happy. And speaking of a relationship...

She wrung her claws awkwardly, and released a single breath. She didn't know what to make of it, and found herself feeling somewhat worried. He, the chosen male she always dreamed of having, was hesitant. Actually, that was an understatement. She didn't even know if he was remotely interested, and it was entirely possible that he was simply forcing a relationship to make her happy, and that he didn't really think of her that way. Ash was funny that way. He would rather force himself into a loveless relationship to make a friend happy, rather than abandon his friends to their sorrow. Too bad his definition of abandonment was completely different than the rest of the entire planet.

Or, she thought optimistically, he was genuine in his desire for a relationship. And simply just really shy. Sure, that was probably her hope speaking, but how couldn't she help but hope that something was sparking between them? This had been her greatest dream, equal to her brother somehow being brought back to life through some sort of magic event. And even in that dream, Ash was still an important part of it, being either the cause of his resurrection, or at least approved of by her brother. But this was reality, and her brother was dead, and no dreaming or magical event would bring her brother back. His fate was sealed when the souldew her father left behind got corrupted by Annie and Oakley's bumbling theft. It was either her or him after that moment, and one of them had to be the replacement. And she didn't have the slightest idea on how to do it. She still didn't.

But he did. And it was a skill he took to his grave. But Ash, he was still here, and he was now a dragon. Couldn't get any more real than that.

Latias tried to put a smile on her face. Right now, well, it was a time for celebration. Ash said yes. She had a claim, and he accepted it. They were in a relationship. She now had a genuine, honest to goodness chance, one that wasn't insurmountable. They were no longer, at least for the moment, different species, and now, they could be together and still be accepted for who they were. No human or Lati bias, or laws to prevent them from being together. No, now was her chance.

If only she knew what to do. And while she always knew there wouldn't be an epiphany to help her understand a relationship, or some sudden spurt of knowledge, she couldn't help but find herself expecting one. She almost regretted completely rejecting any attempts at casual dating. Almost.

Nah, not even almost. Lati didn't casually date without wanting to casually doing everything else. And there were many, many reasons why she didn't want that.

Ash and her brother were the biggest reasons.

But, regardless of her thoughts on her species' promiscuity, her situation all boiled down to one crucial question.

What happens next?

She knew absolutely nothing about being in a relationship. And he was seemingly as romantically inclined as she was, and the pair had absolutely no experience with the alien concept known as love. Sure, she read a human book or two on the subject on some of her more lonely nights, and she was sure he watched a couple human movies that featured romance, but that didn't help either of them; both forms were notorious for being irrevocably idealized. No one had fights, there was no anger or jealousy, just lovey dovey eyes, light touches and loving little coos all the time. She found herself looking down the barrel of the gun known as a relationship, and she didn't even know what set off the trigger. Was it lust? No, because frankly, there had been a great many Lati who lusted after each other, and yet, they fell in love with someone else. Lust wasn't important, or, at least, it was not the best base.

Was it friendship? Because, if that were so, they did have that. Heck, if that was what made romantic love, Ash probably had half the planet desiring him. The thought irked her.

Or, was it something else? A mixture, or some unseen force, one that you had to experience to understand what made a relationship?

Latias couldn't help but forcibly hit her head off the pillow it rested on. She was getting nowhere, and all she had to show for her constant pondering was a headache. She missed the days when everything was clear, with obvious results, and only the subtle psychology of her people to influence the outcome. But now, all she knew how to do that would help was to... Flirt.

Too bad she didn't know how to do that, either. But there had to be some kind of guide somewhere. A book, or maybe someone she could ask. Bianca, maybe. Or Lorip... No. He'd give her an answer, surely. Hell, he'd probably set up a survey among the herd, and question every female the herd had how to flirt with a male.

He'd give her the most thorough and thought out answer he could possibly give, maybe even make a dictionary on the subject. But that would take not only time, but a ton of her status, her greatest tool she had. She, the cold, calculating Ice Princess, the one who thought out every possible plan to the extreme, taking lessons on how to flirt with the one she already claimed. It was not only embarrassing and damaging to her image, but mindbogglingly paradoxical. It was like swimming across the ocean to find someone to teach you how to swim across the ocean. You had to know how to even get to that point, and even if you did learn, you already swam across the ocean. What was the point in learning to do it again? It was either asinine, or it meant that she planned on leaving her claimed at the first convenience. Which, not even stating the extremely drastic social repercussions, seemed completely insane, seeing as she put up such a fight for him.

She almost froze after finishing the previous thought. Admittedly, she realized, the whole situation was insane. She was doing everything backwards, upside down, and inside out, all at once. She claimed him before she even asked his feelings. She didn't give him a gift, as was tradition, or asked him out on a date, although admittedly, that wasn't the Lati way. Nah, she just straight up kissed him, and said he was hers.

Still worked though. Kinda. Maybe.

Hopefully.

She couldn't help but smirk in sick amusement as the thought resurfaced. It did kinda work. Now, she had Ash.

Now, she had someone again. And, while she now needed to learn how to flirt, and to kiss, and, well, everything related to mating, and she now had the perfect practice partner that possessed her one true requirement. Someone who was Ash.

And now that she had her confidence back, she already starting to get plans. The instant they got out, she'd take Ash back to the grove, and announce her claim on him. Sure, it wasn't necessary, but it made sure no one would flirt with him without knowing of the reckoning they'd receive. And there would be no repercussions for her when she delivered said reckoning. Then, after the news was given, she'd take him for a short trip. Maybe even take Pikachu, if her little grove was fixed.

Rub the fact that she won in his little Pika-face. The idea made her smile brightly. Maybe they could even go to one of the nearby islands, or go for a flight. He was a Sky-Dancer, he'd probably like that, if only through instinct. And she'd also get a chance to see how well he flew, and possibly even dance the skies with him. She wasn't much of a flier, but she'd gladly join him in the skies if he wished it.

And then, once they had a little fun, they would retire to her grove for the night, and she could snuggle up against him. Sure, he'd probably be sheepish, but she could be passive. Just a little snuggle here, a coo there, and he'd hopefully either just let it go, and go to bed, or get embarrassed. That was how flirting worked, right?

She thought about spending the night snuggled up to Ash, and felt surprisingly giddy. She hadn't looked forward to going to bed for quite some time, but now, she couldn't wait.

But, she mused, before she could go home and snuggle with Ash, or, well, any of that, she definitely needed to get out of this Pokemon center. If Ash was in the room, well, they could still talk, and try her hand at flirting, even if all it involved was talking suggestively. She could do that, even if she was under the watchful gaze of a nurse. And if she chickened out, she could still tell him some of the old legends Lati had. She stopped for a second, and pondered that option. Yes, maybe, before they went to bed, She could tell him one of their legends.

And she had many options. Lorip had always been one to tell her a legend to teach her some lesson, and as such, her repertoire of stories was quite large. She could tell him the legend of how Lati bonded to one another. Or, she could use the one about the Latios and the Houndoom, that was a good one. It also kinda fit the situation, two completely different types of creatures, falling in love against their herd/pack's wishes.

And, with those thoughts calming her, Latias sighed happily. She had a plan, and with a plan, came victory.

And with victory, she got the spoils. And Ash was the prize.

* * *

"Excuse me, but your trainer's here."

Latias was quickly torn from her fantasizing, and instead found herself feel a short pang of confusion. She didn't have a trainer. And she was registered as a wild pokemon. She knew that for a fact. She even read it on her chart. In fact...

The pang of confusion quickly turned into one of fear. She quickly looked to the window, and gave it the once over. It was big enough for her to escape through, if she needed to. If this was another Team Magma infiltrator, she wouldn't just let them take her.

And heaven help them if they took Ash. She clenched her claws, but didn't move. There was still the chance that it was just some trainer that was led to the wrong room, and if that was how it was, then she had no reason to strike. Right now, she had to wait.

However, that didn't mean she would be idle.

She quickly rushed over a mental list of options. She could easily teleport, but she had to have line of sight, meaning her only choice was away from Ash. She could quickly use a dragon's breath, but that could burn down the Pokemon center. Her options seemed to be melee only, seeing as a Magma member would have a psy dampener. Psychic wouldn't work. So, teleport, or a claw to the throat. She quickly pulled her claw free from her blanket, and prepared herself for some form of flight or fight. If it was a threat, she'd end it. She wouldn't leave Ash.

But, instead of some random, unexpected human, wearing some hue of red or green, it was an extremely familiar old man.

"Lorip?" Was all she could manage to say. She expected some young, inexperienced trainer, or some slimy looking potential Magma infiltrator, but not Lorip. She looked suspiciously between the Nurse and the disguised Lati, before suddenly realizing what he did. He deliberately disobeyed her orders.

She felt her temper rise up dangerously. Lorip definitely had some explaining to do. And she would drag every single answer from him, regardless of whether he wanted to give them or not.

"What are you doing here?" She bit out, giving the elder a vicious glare. "I thought I explicitly told you. No escort."

Lorip simply stared firmly at her, and made no obvious reaction. Nurse Joy, however, seemed quite nervous. "She doesn't seem very happy with you..."

Lorip glanced over to the Nurse, and pondered how he should react. He was, admittedly, in a little deep with his previous lie. It definitely wasn't his best work. However, there was still no real problems for him if he got caught lying. He'd just disappear into the air if she thought of kicking him out, and this Nurse was young. Her intentions were easy to tell. Problem was, the blame would fall on his princess. Something that could not be allowed.

He quickly thought of a new lie, and found one that suited all his needs. He looked over to the nurse, and smiled. "It's quite understandable. Hormones, and all."

Her reaction surprised him, and he found himself looking down the barrel of a completely different piercing glare. Did he accidentally use some sort of human slang? He thought about questioning the nurse for her reaction, but decided against it. He definitely was very rusty at the game of lying. He quickly blamed becoming the servant to one who didn't care for subterfuge.

Bless her. Bless her so much.

He awkwardly looked over to Latias, and attempted his best to weather her glare. She had a look that was legendary in their herd; heck, it could stop Merrim, hothead extraordinaire, in his tracks while in his worst mood, and would cow him into whatever she desired him to do immediately afterward. Lorip knew he wouldn't last long underneath her frigid glance. Besides, he always folded quickly if it was someone he cared for, regardless of the capability of their glares. And hers was special in its own right. It truly was a royal stare.

He quickly looked at her, and offered his most sincere apology, and he hoped that his voice sounded properly contrite. "I apologize, Princess."

He didn't dare move or look away from her, and forced himself to stare back into her eyes. She always had the knack to sense his fear, and if he tried to hide or redirect her anger, well, she'd only get angrier. And while her frozen wrath was terrible, it was far, far worse once it ignited. But, she was not one without mercy. She would allow him to explain himself. She had always given the accused that, regardless of their crimes. "I did not escort you in a traditional sense. However, I did watch over you from the sky... I didn't wish to overhear any conversations, and I swear to you now, on my name as a Lati and shade, I didn't hear a single peep. I merely wished to keep you safe." Lorip gave a curt nod, but it was meant as a subservient bow. He hoped she picked up on it, and accepted it.

"Please forgive this foolish servant."

Latias continued her glare, and made no move. However, her eyes did turn from the elder Lati, to the nurse that stood beside him. Sure, he was keeping their conversation from being heard, but even the most unobservant human would notice what seemed to be a minute-long staring contest, especially one that ended with a out of place nod.

She frowned deeply, and shook her head. In all honesty, she truly should've expected this. Lorip was fanatical, but he would still disobey orders if he thought it would aid her. And while he was easily one of her most trusted advisers, he'd disobey her orders nine times out of ten if he thought she'd gain from it. Maybe he thought there'd be trouble. Maybe he thought Ash would be trouble. Heck, maybe he just wanted to ensure that no Lati eavesdropped on them. With Lorip, his logic was almost unknowable. The elder Lati was paranoid, fanatical, and somewhat militant, but he meant well.

He always meant well.

Didn't make his fanaticism any less annoying or damaging, however.

Lorip sat there, his head still bowed, and he made no move to lift it, making her feel another pang of irritation. He was going to wait for her to tell him to raise his head. She couldn't help but give him a deadpan stare, and he sat there for another moment. So it was going to be the waiting game. It would end when he either apologized a third time, or she gave up, and either gave him a punishment, or forgave him. Normally, she'd just get it over with, but she needed to show him how severe the situation was. He was the one that was going to break, not her.

A minute passed. And then five. And, before she knew it, ten minutes passed. The nurse that joined him quickly became bored, but, in a surprising show of patience, didn't say a word, and did nothing. Maybe she knew enough of her kind to know what they were doing. Maybe, she had the patience of a saint. Or, maybe, she was just enjoying the break. But, regardless of her intentions, she was obviously going to stay. And, so, another couple minutes passed, and finally, Lorip was the one that gave in.

"As a sign of apology, I have brought you a gift, princess."

Latias raised an eyebrow, and she felt her glare lessen. He never offered gifts in exchange for an apology. When he gave in, a punishment was a given, and he had always just accepted the punishment and went on his way, seemingly happy that she was fair and impartial. The fact that he bothered to acquire a gift intrigued her. "And what would that be, Lorip?"

His curt, almost severe expression his disguise wore softened a bit, and he looked over to the door. She felt her curiosity peak. He seemed quite satisfied with himself. What could he have possibly gotten? "Ash?"

She froze for a second, before feeling her glare disappear, and instead replace itself with a smile. This wasn't really a gift in the traditional sense, but a mixture of both a sign of his approval, and a way to show his feelings of guilt in the matter. An overly grand gesture, but it was welcomed none-the-less. Plus, that also meant that they were introduced. That killed two birds with one stone.

She waited for a moment, before Ash managed to awkwardly float in, and Lorip gave him a curt nod. "Ash, I apologize for the wait, my boy. But regardless, there is no need to seem so nervous. You are among friends, and, well, loved ones. Er, loved one." He finished awkwardly in Lati-speak. He then gave a firm look to the Nurse joy, who was sitting there awkwardly.

He needed to get rid of her. But how? He could use another lie, but he left himself quite flatfooted. What had his last tale been? Something about hormones? How could he use that?

But, before he could try a different idea, a spark of inspiration hit him. Sure, it was a little soon, but hey, it put the idea in their heads. And it made the hormone excuse hold more weight. Latias would thank him later.

"So, how far along is she?"

Latias quickly shot him a venomous look, but both the Nurse and Ash reacted as he expected, and looked completely blindsided. Ash looked like he had said the moon tasted like butterflies, and the Nurse, well, she looked like the poster girl for supreme confusion. "Um, I'm not sure what-"

Lorip quickly interrupted her by simply raising a hand. Latias opened her mouth to object, but the elder was faster. "I mean, the egg. The pair was expecting their first egg, as of last week. Is it still forming correctly?"

Latias closed her still open mouth, and instead looked over to Ash, hoping to get his reaction. But, to her disappointment, he just looked confused. The nurse, however, looked slightly shell-shocked. "Oh, umm... Well, there... is no egg."

Lorip frowned, and raised a false eyebrow. "What do you mean? Did you not test for that?" His words were clear and concise, as if stating that the sky was blue. It held no question if the egg existed, and instead, raised the question of competence of the medical staff of the pokemon center. The Nurse looked extremely uncomfortable, and she shook her head in denial, but, even to Ash, it seemed as if it was to convince herself. "No, er, well, we did...but... there was no egg."

Lorip put on an extremely convincing frown, and sat there in silence for a moment, and Ash actually found himself wondering if he and Latias did somehow have an egg on the way. Lorip, however, continued to sit there for several moments, as if pondering some unsaid implication, before letting loose a very convincing sigh of sadness. He then looked to Ash's shocked face, and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm am very sorry, Ash."

Ash continued to look completely lost. The Nurse, however, took his confused expression as instead a sign of grief and shock. "Oh, I am truly sorry. If I had known..."

Lorip nodded sadly, and looked over the two, with Ash looking shocked, and Latias looking furious. "Perhaps we should give the two some time alone. Would that be alright?"

The Nurse nodded sadly, and sighed. She looked quite distraught, and Latias could've sworn that she had a couple tears held back, and felt a surge of pity for her. However, she had no way to console the nurse, no way to communicate the message beyond shaking her head, which could be easily misinterpreted. She felt another massive surge of anger towards Lorip, and she gave an absolutely livid glare at him, making sure he knew that he was going to receive hell when she got back. "Yes. Again, I am sorry for your loss."

Lorip nodded, and put a pseudo-consoling hand on the nurse's shoulder. "It's not your fault. Let us give them some time."

He then walked quietly out of the room, and the nurse followed solemnly. He turned to the pair of shocked and irritated Lati, and gave a mighty wink before closing the door.

And, with that, they were alone. Ash felt his sense of shock abide, and quickly looked to Latias, and opened his mouth to ask a question, any question, that could tell him what just happened. But before a single word could be formed, she angrily cut him off. "No, I'm not, and no, you aren't."

Latias then clenched her claw furiously, and, before she could stop herself, smashed it the railing on the side of her hospital bed, crushing the flimsy metal under her claw. She growled angrily, and hit it again, and it fell to the ground, and she, for a moment, hoped that the nurse would return, and she could, in some way, tell her that she didn't just have a miscarriage, and that her pointless sadness was for naught. But no one came. She growled a bit in frustration, and swore that she would run Lorip through the ringer when she saw him next. If he thought she was angry before, she would show him her true rage.

She sat there for a moment, seething, and pondered ways to punish her "helpful" adviser, before quickly realizing that Ash, her Ash, was still in the room, and that they were alone. She felt another pang of irritation, but this time, it was directed toward herself. She completely forgot about him. Ash had backed away a tiny bit, but, to her relief, his expression wasn't one of fear, but a mix of sadness and understanding.

He waited a short moment, as if making sure she wasn't going to throw anything else, before floating closer to her. "You know, that wasn't right, what Lorip did. I really thought he was a nice guy..."

Latias couldn't help but sigh, and her gritted teeth eased their way into a normal frown. "He is. But, he doesn't know the effects of such simple things. He probably wanted us to have some time alone. He didn't think of what the news of a miscarriage would have on Nurse Joy. Heck, I wouldn't doubt that he cared about Nurse Joy at all. He's a shade. They don't "Do" emotions, or at the very least, understand what they mean."

Latias sighed, and shook her head in irritation. "To him, she might as well have been a piece of furniture. It was in his way, and it wasn't his to care for, so he'd move it. Doesn't matter if he threw it, slid it to the side, or burned it. Sure, it's a waste of furniture, so he wouldn't just break it, but he'd still move it from his path without thought."

The young Latios nodded a bit in understanding. "I guess he did say something about that. Lorip said that Shades could have Socio-something, and it was bred in, whatever he meant by that."

The Princess of Altomare nodded in agreement and sighed unhappily. Hopefully, this little event wouldn't become another rumor. She decided, for the sake of her previously good mood to change the subject, and looked back to Ash. "Well, what did he tell you, when he was with you?

Ash shrugged awkwardly, and replied with a shrug. "Well, he told me about how Lati became different, and how Sky-Dancers and all the other Lati made humans think we're super powered and stuff."

Latias smiled a bit, and sighed. "Oh? I remember that. I loved that legend. It was one of my favorites."

Ash found himself surprised at her choice of words. "Wait, legend?"

She nodded, her foul mood disappearing. She looked over to Ash, and felt a small speck of happiness and pride over the fact that now, he was the naive one. "What, did you believe that six Herds of Lati, each with only with a population of six to seven hundred Lati could make something as drastic as A Sky-Dancer or a Changeling over the course of a couple centuries? Nah, it's just a legend Lati tell themselves to feel superior to others. We probably were made this way, or some natural selection happened. Heck, I'd believe the legend of Mew and Arceus before I believed that one."

Ash perked up at the idea of hearing another legend. "Huh? What legend is that?"

Latias smiled a bit, and scooted closer to Ash from her bed. "Well, Legend says that Waaaay back, Arceus and Mew had a competition to make the most powerful pokemon species. Not one that was like a legendary, though, but one that could truly be considered a legend with only their power, wits, or strength. Mew made humans, Arceus made Lati."

She shook her head, and smiled a bit more, her previous mood quickly returning. "As you can see," Latias said, making a sweeping gesture, "Mew won."

Ash looked slightly surprised at her playful tone, and raised an eyebrow. "Are there any other legends?"

Latias shrugged, but the light smile never left her face. "Tons. There's one about a Latios falling in love with a houndoom, one about the rise of the continents when Groudon beat Kyogre by sneaking up on him while Lati distracted him. One about why Lati mate forever. Humans aren't the only ones that tell stories. Lati's usually are pretty self centered, though."

Ash nodded in interest, and pondered for a moment. "Well, why did Lorip tell me that he was telling me history?"

"Probably because he thought the legends to be true. Lati are prideful creatures. I know I am, but I can at least acknowledge that our kind isn't the best beings on the planet. Lorip probably was raised being told that those Lati were really how our kind was."

Ash smiled a bit, and decided to sit in the chair beside Latias' bed again. Sure, it was awkward, but it was better than floating.

"It's good that you're a Lati right now. If I tried to woo a human, I'd never hear the end about 'choosing a lesser species."

Ash raised an eyebrow. Latias smiled a bit more, and shrugged. "Something one of my advisers thinks. Lati are the best, no questions asked. For how much he goes on about it, you thought that half our species accidentally tripped into some nets, and it took the entire might of humanity to drag the nets away. Never mind that we're being driven extinct by a couple small terrorist groups of humans. Heck, I think the only reason why we are still all here in Altomare is because the Interpol Headquarters and Ranger Barracks are here. A small group of humans could capture dozens of us with little effort, if they planned it right. It takes humans to stop humans. "

Latias sighed, and leaned back further in the bed. The two sat in a surprisingly comfortable silence for several moments. And Latias, she simply stared at the ceiling for a while, and felt no sudden urge to plan, or to grumble about Lorip's actions, or to think about her ideas she had for Ash. Instead, she felt the need to just... relax.

It was nice. She hadn't been at ease like this for... as long as she could remember.

"I miss the old days." She said suddenly. She didn't bother looking over to Ash, and just said the first thing that was on her mind.

Ash couldn't help but be surprised at the sudden proclamation, but he didn't say anything, and decided to let her continue. She didn't talk much since he was reunited with her, and when she did, it was always so carefully thought out. Never what she felt, but what she wanted to say. It was either a lesson, or a piece of knowledge, or a warning. But now, she seemed... peaceful.

"I miss being able to take a nap when I want, or visit Bianca. Even after my brother... well, yeah, I still wasn't responsible for all this... everything until recently. I didn't have to make sure everyone was fed, or keep some young Lati from burning down the grove, trying to learn fire attacks. I didn't have to keep a trio of Shades in check, or argue with Merrim whenever he decided he deserved to be my mate, no matter how many times I told him to just... fly off. I miss being able to do things that I wanted to do. When I could take a quick trip to some island I saw in the distance when I was hunting, or venture through some underwater cave."

She lifted an arm up, and stretched. "Nowadays, I can't even go hunting outside the city. My hunting grounds are the canals, and it's not because I'm the Princess. It's because I don't have enough time to go hunting anywhere else. And I refuse to let someone else hunt for me every day, because I'm some 'great' leader."

Latias' eyes slowly moved from ceiling panel to panel, but she continued, sighing a bit. "But, it's not that I hate having all this responsibility. I just wish that there was less... well, everything. I wish I didn't have to be stern, because if I don't, everyone will just go nuts. I wish I could just be there when it was important, you know? Not every second of every day of every week. I could relax, take a break, and not have three times more work than I did when I left."

She sat there for a moment, and suddenly laughed. "I just figured out Lorip's punishment."

Ash frowned. "Huh?"

Latias looked over, and smiled. "I'll have him do all the work I'd end up getting after this break. And then, maybe I'll still be able to spend time with you when this is all done."

Ash stared at the young Latias in front of him, and noticed that she seemed lighter, and he suddenly recalled that she had, at some point, been a cheerful, if naive young dragon. "Latias?"

The young Princess looked over, and held a light smile on her face. "Yes, Ash?"

The younger dragon took a breath, and released it. He felt now was a good time to broach a serious subject, and he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "Do you... really like me? Or, am I just... an idea?"

Latias looked surprised, and frowned a bit, that light, true smile dying almost instantly. "What do you mean?"

Ash swallowed nervously, and continued. "I mean, are you in love with the Ash you think I am?"

Latias scrunched up her face, and, after a moment, shuffled over so she could get a better look at him. She looked him dead in the face, and he noticed a playful smile that wasn't there before. "Let me see..."

She put a claw to his face and rubbed it tenderly. "Ash, I loved you before you left. And, when you came back, and I saw your memories, I fell in love again, although, admittedly, I was still in love with you, so... I guess I never stopped. I love you, the brave, selfless, dense human boy who saved me from a pair of criminals that morning, and even though you've grown up a bit, and that you've learned some new things, at your core, you're still that kind, selfless boy I loved all the way back then. I'm in love with the Ash you are, were, and will be. I promise you that."

She then gave a small lick to his cheek. "Ash, I don't love an idea. I love you."

She then pulled back, and sighed happily. "I know I'm not the shy, kind, playful little Latias you knew and became friends with... But... Will you have me?"

Ash sat there for a moment, thinking of his answer. For some reason, this felt much more serious than the previous time he went through this conversation. But, his answer was still the same, regardless of the change in tone.

However, this time, he could tell that he actually meant it, at least a bit.

"Yes. Yes, I will."

* * *

**A/N And here's the beginning of the fluff! Isn't it beautiful?**

**Nah, I didn't think so either. But still! It's just getting started, and good, high quality fluff takes build-up.**

**At least, that's what I'm telling myself.**

**So, Here's your chapter! I hope it was good, and you all enjoyed it. Feel free to review, either for complaints, questions, comparisons, wishes, desires, or, well anything! Even flames have a place here!**

**Now, here's a Fun Fact!**

**The original draft of this story was drastically different. It was after Lati had been driven extinct, with only Latias, and, unknowingly, Ash, being the last two of their kind. In that Draft, Lati lived a thousand years, unlike the Hundred-fifty of this story, and many of the "Legends" that are going to be in this story are actually plot points from that one. **


	16. Bonding is key

**A/N New chapter, How I love you so...**

**Actually, this isn't all that would, or could, have been. But frankly, I have an unknown amount of words left in the "rest" of the chapter, so I'll just give you the majority of the fluff to tide you over, seeing as it might have ended up being a 30-40k monstrosity, with an unknown release date. Either way, Tell me what ya think! **

**Thanks to my uber-Beta, Syrup-Waffle! He's the (?)Quenchiest!**

* * *

Latias stared in mild irritation as the doctor put a small bandage on her arm, covering the small hole the last shot gave her. She should have known they would've saved the shots until the end, but, when they said that her tests were done, she couldn't help but feel safe. And then, the doctor gave the dreaded words, all while stereotypically staring at his clipboard.

"Oh, and before you go..."

And then, with little ceremony, she was given five shots, all vaccinations. They said they were "precautionary", and seeing as Lorip had disappeared for a considerable moment, she guessed he said to just go for it. Bastard. Her only solace was that Ash got to sit there, and hold her claw. It was awkward, sure, but she still enjoyed the physical contact.

"And... that's it. You're free to go, and it seems your trainer has returned, and is waiting for you in the hall."

Latias let out a sigh of relief, and couldn't help but give the doctor a small, unhappy frown. Overall, she had to take three dozen blood tests, five shots, a nasty tasting throat culture, a thing called a CT scan, an MRI, and, because of Lorip's little lie, a visit from a Pokemon breeding specialist, before she was finally cleared to leave.

Ash had tried to leave when the breeder arrived to give her privacy, but, as her "mate", he was forced to stay, so he would understand her situation better. They were lucky all it took was a couple scans, instead of a genuine physical exam. She didn't think she would be able to look Ash in the eye again if she got the full exam while he was watching. Although, admittedly, the physical exam may have been forgone simply because Ash was there. Not many are brave enough to touch a dragon's "mate" in front of them. But, on the bright side, she was quickly proclaimed to be a healthy, strong, and, according to the breeder, fertile young Latias. A perfectly healthy dragon in every way.

Well, healthy physically, seeing as they still didn't know the real cause of her incarceration.

The breeder had even considered looking Ash over once she finished with her, too, but she decided against it, on the grounds of him not being signed into the Pokemon center. Lucky.

But, regardless of the numerous tests they gave her, they still remained rather confused as to what caused the issues she was admitted with, and, in the end, the doctors gave Lorip a referral for a dragon specialist in Hoenn, for a future check up. Lorip thanked them, and, to Latias' great pleasure, they immediately left the Pokemon center with her just a step below ecstatic.

But regardless of the happiness she felt for her release, she still had to keep herself from lashing out at the elder Lati. It was due to his comment of being an "expectant mother" that added an extra hour or so to her incarceration, and it was that lie that forced Ash to get a hefty crash course on dragon reproductive knowledge. The first was inconvenient, if mildly irritating. The second, which made Ash very possibly wary of their new relationship, was nearly unforgivable.

But now, she was free. Free from both the Pokemon center, and everything that prevented her from smiting Lorip where he stood.

And, once they were far enough away from both the majority of the crowds and the Pokemon center, Lorip looked back to the pair, and smiled. Latias couldn't help but smile back, but for a completely different reason.

"Now, my Princess, if you desire it, I will make my leave."

Latias quickly put on a clearly fake and exaggerated thinking expression on for a moment, and, after a few seconds, nodded. She had been waiting a couple hours for this, and she was going to savor her revenge. Never let it be said she didn't punish those who earned it. "Very well. But Lorip?"

The elder Latios stopped, and looked to the Princess with a look of mild curiosity. "Yes, milady?"

Ash watched as Latias smiled different than she normally did. Instead of slightly cold, or a genuinely happy, if light smile, her lips curled up lightly, almost... teasingly, before she put a set of claws gently on Lorip's cheek, surprising both him and the elder. The young male didn't know why, but he could tell that her smile wasn't a good one. "When I get back, I will assign your punishment."

Lorip suddenly looked slightly nervous, and Ash, for an untold reason, felt nervous as well. He knew this was coming, Latias had told him repeatedly, and the instant the breeding specialist arrived, he could tell that the old storyteller was going to feel her wrath for her embarrassment and loss of time. Heck, even he was very unhappy with the elder. He now knew far more about Latias than he cared to know about anyone at this point, and all that embarrassment and awkwardness could be directly linked to the old Lati's lies and choices.

But, even though he could agree with his mat- his claime- Latias, he couldn't help but feel pity as well. The Latias he knew from before was merciful, almost passive. This new Latias, on the other hand, was one who kept order, be it through sugar and kindness, or through fire and damnation. You broke rules or did something you shouldn't, and she'll set you straight, whether you resisted or not. He was just lucky she chose the sugar option with him.

"And, when I give you your punishment... I want you to put particular thought on why I'm giving you it."

She put her other limb on the other side of the elder's face, now holding the elder's face with both her hands. And while her smile got paradoxically more gentle, the gesture was less of a loving caress, and more akin to holding a particularly tender piece of meat, right before deciding to tear it asunder. Ash could even swear he saw curiosity in her eyes, as if wondering how much pressure it would take for her to crush the elder's skull. "For a test..." She spoke softly, the temperature seemingly falling forty degrees.

Wait, was that ice on the ground?

"Why am I punishing you?"

The instant she finished the sentence, Ash could tell why she was called the Princess of Altomare. That tone, the way she carried herself, even the way she spoke, demanded obedience outright. It wasn't a question of if he'd answer, but a question of when, and how much begging for mercy would be involved. Lorip swallowed, and, even through his disguise, he couldn't help but look extremely nervous. Ash felt for the elder male, he really did. But, he wouldn't dare to get in the way of... that.

Heck, even Pikachu would have to need a good reason for him to try and help.

"I... disobeyed orders?"

Latias nodded slowly, and her seemingly kind, loving smile shrank, and the "kind" facade broke a bit. Now, Ash could tell how angry she really was. She was absolutely livid. "Yes, and?"

Lorip shook slightly, and he quickly paled, but he, through herculean effort, managed to answer. Ash found himself impressed. He was even more impressed when the older Lati managed to keep his voice from wavering much.

"I don't know, Milady."

Latias sighed, and her predatory smile completely disappeared. However, it seemed her fury died quickly as well, and Ash felt the pressure lessen. "Very well. You shall think about every moment you spent after you circumvented my orders until I return, thinking of the correct answer. I will expect it when I return in one hour or so."

Lorip nodded rapidly, and awkwardly bowed as low as his back allowed. "You are merciful, milady."

Latias returned the nod, however halfheartedly, and sighed. "In your words, I am too merciful for my own good. Now, go, before I change my mind on giving you an hour." She finished, pointing a claw in a random direction. She couldn't be bothered with the direction of the sanctuary, and, to be honest, she didn't particularly care. As long as he was back at the sanctuary with the answer she desired when she got there, he could go to the moon to compose himself.

Lorip turned around immediately, and instantly disappeared from view, giving Ash a small shock. But his surprise quickly died, and his focus quickly found itself a new target. Latias. He quickly went over the previous event through his mind, and a small amount of trepidation formed. This Pokemon, right in front of him, was now technically his fiancé. He didn't know if he should feel absolutely terrified at the concept, or be proud that he managed to accidentally woo something so... that, without even trying. He didn't know if he was doomed, or guaranteed safety for the rest of his days, but regardless, he made a mental note to stay on Latias' good side.

While Ash was pondering this, the female he was thinking of slowly turned, and looked over to Ash, frowning lightly."I hate having to do that."

Ash jumped slightly, not expecting her to speak to him. He found Latias, no, the Princess, staring at him, and he found himself torn between replying, and bowing. Which was odd, seeing as he never bowed to those who earned it, let alone old friends. But, after a short moment, his own brand of internal logic won out. She didn't expect him to bow earlier, so why should he now? Changing things might just make her angrier. He instead put all his effort in a response, and managed to stutter out a reply. "Oh, um, what do you mean?"

Latias stared at Ash for a short moment, before forcing back a sigh at Ash's jerky nervous behavior. The reason was obvious, she lost her temper again, and used her preferred illusion to make herself seem more intimidating. And, Ash seemed to have caught all the bleed-off. And while the illusion had its uses on occasion, she would happily give it up if Ash would love her the way she dreamed. Sure, it was a great way of inciting discipline and reminding her Lati who she was on the rare occasion of someone completely refusing her orders, but Ash's opinion on her was far more important than Lorip understanding the weight of his transgressions, or Merrim just shutting up.

She floated closer, and put a gentle claw in his shoulder, wincing at Ash's obvious desire to put some distance between them. She suddenly wished she knew of an illusion to calm others, if there even was such a thing, but alas, she knew no such technique. But she would gladly try to find one. She would never wish for Ash to fear her. He was supposed to adore her, as she would him. It made it somewhat difficult to love something you happen to be terrified of. And so, she rubbed her claw gently on Ash's shoulder, and gave him a light coo, pushing aside the thoughts of repercussions if someone caught her make that noise. She even contemplated nuzzling him, but that seemed a bit too much too fast. So, she simply sat there and gently caressed his shoulder with a claw, making the occasional coo, in hopes to calm him down.

The pair sat there for a moment, with Latias rubbing the male's shoulder, and now, neck, with naught but the occasional calming noises emanating from the female. But after a short while, it ended up being Latias who broke the silence. "I don't like having to give punishments. Or having to be responsible for everyone."

Ash was surprised by the sudden words, but he didn't react to them with more than a halfhearted 'Huh?' He was too engrossed with Latias' claw rubbing his shoulder. At first, it was awkward and somewhat terrifying, but the situation quickly became rather pleasant, and Ash couldn't help but wonder why he was afraid of Latias again. So far, she hadn't done much against him, and the one time that stood out was admittedly his fault and his fault alone. Plus, he admitted, her claws were very nice. And the fact that she was trying to "comfort" him made him feel far more comfortable.

"I guess it would be hard. I wouldn't wanna do it."

Latias nodded, and smiled at him. This definitely was going better than expected. Sure, she was just rubbing randomly, but, judging by Ash's reactions, she found a good spot. That, or his back was sore. But she'd rather pretend it was the first one, it made her feel more accomplished. But either way, this was going better than expected already. All she had to do was sell it, and she'd be back in the green, or maybe even move ahead a bit. "Yes, it is hard. But it does have its advantages."

Ash gave her a curious look, his remaining nervousness quickly replaced with curiosity. "Yeah?"

She smiled. Hook, line, and sinker. "Yes. You see, I get all the best hunting and sleeping spots. First dibs, if you will. And when I'm too busy to hunt, I can have someone else hunt for me. If I wasn't the Princess, I would normally just go hungry, unless I had a mate, or a really generous friend." She said, pulling her claws away from his back and slowly floating off. Ash followed her, admittedly looking disappointed, and her smile grew. Now, she definitely had his attention. Just a little more...

"Sure, with our herd, we have a line for feeding those too busy, but that's apparently not a normal thing. Oh, I also can veto anything anyone wants to do. If someone wanted to, say... fight another for something really stupid, I can disallow their challenge." She added, smiling. She was actually getting into explaining this to him. She hadn't felt this good about something in a long while. "And I can give others jobs I don't want to do. I used to have to patrol the docks, but now I have someone else do it. Several someones, actually."

Ash smiled a bit, albeit hesitantly, and shook his head in mild amusement. For some reason, his mental image of Latias didn't involve giving other's jobs she disliked. He actually figured she would do them, just to make sure they got done right. "What's wrong with the docks?"

Latias smiled lightly at Ash. He was getting far more relaxed. But inside, she felt a pang of internal panic at her quickly loosening tongue, but she pushed it down almost as quickly as it appeared. She knew she could relax herself around Ash. He was her future mate; if he couldn't be trusted, no one could. Heck, she could even gossip with him if she so wished, a behavior she had always been curious about, but unable to actively partake in, due to her status. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but... I hate the smell. There's a cannery down there, and it reeks of tuna."

Ash gave a bark of surprised laughter at that, and quickly grinned. Latias seemed to be full of surprises. And, apparently it was a secret that she disliked a smell. But hey, he's held weirder secrets. "Really?"

The Princess of Altomare nodded almost hesitantly, and Ash gave another bark of laughter, along with a happy smile. She couldn't help find herself staring at it, and made to return it, giving him her brightest smile. He noticed this. It looked... like a normal smile. He found himself far more amused at this then he should. He gave a second bark, and shook his head. Yeah, he had no reason to fear Latias. Tia. Ati. Lat-ee.

Huh, she needed a name. He'd think of one later.

"Yep. It's not all bad." Latias said happily, her smile remaining on her features.

"And, when we mate, you get all those benefits."

And, as if hit by an ice beam, Latias froze. She did not just say that aloud. Please, Arceus, she didn't just say that out loud. She looked over to Ash, and saw that he was frozen in surprise as well. "If! I meant if!" She quickly spluttered out, and Latias felt a sense of dread pour over her. She may have just scared him off, with one slip of the tongue. Got the fish on the hook, and then brained herself on a rock pulling it in.

She bit her lip, and thought of something, anything to save the situation. She threw out the first thing that came to mind, food. "So, er, Ash, you still hungry?"

That brought him out of his shock. Ash still knew what she said, and contrary to what Pikachu would say, just mentioning food wouldn't just distract him. However, he did accept the welcome diversion. He could think on that subject later. And, as if in agreement, his stomach immediately growled. It seems like there was an accord.

Latias, on the other hand, felt nothing but a rush of relief when he nodded and gave her a light, if hesitant, smile. She couldn't tell if he was genuinely distracted, or just welcoming the distraction, but she'd take it either way. And, she'd really need to be more careful. Secrets were one thing, but being too clingy, or too up front might just scare him away. She had to be clear with her end goal, so he wasn't surprised, but distant enough that he felt it was still his choice.

Relationships were surprisingly hard.

"I'm starved... So, er, sure."

Latias let loose a single breath, and returned that smile as best as she could. She wasn't in the clear, but she had an exit now. That was better then she had seconds ago. "Alright. But first... I have to check something."

Latias looked around blankly for a moment. She genuinely had no idea where she was. And she used to know the streets so well, before. She looked around for a landmark, any land mark she could use, and, eventually, she found one. She was close to one of the few five way canals in the city. And only one was near a Pokemon center. Once she determined where she was, she began her quest, and turned down the street, carefully searching her memory of the city streets. Once upon a time, she patrolled these streets, looking for trouble or, more often, something to entertain herself. And while this was a while ago, she still recalled the majority.

Ok, she recalled some of it. It was a big city, after all.

Ash raised an eyebrow, but followed her. The pair continued wordlessly on, floating carefully through the light, if somewhat surprised crowds, and after a few minutes of venturing through the city, Latias found what she was looking for. She smiled a bit, and while Ash barely noticed the change of expression, she was quite happy with herself. She quickly entered the alley, and Ash couldn't help but look confused. "Er, what's so special about an alleyway?"

Latias rolled her eyes, but gave Ash a faint smile. "It's not the alley, but what we left in it."

The young Male gave a small "o" with his mouth, and Latias ventured further into the alley. Once they were in far enough, she started searching the ground. "Well, you don't got your money with you, so, unless you left the money inside Mario's, you probably left your money in here." She continued searching on the ground for a moment, before smiling."In hindsight, I probably should have asked you where you left it first, but it's a little late for that, seeing as it is right here." She reached down, and, to Ash's surprise, plucked up a small bundle of bills.

The young male stared for a moment, before looking around. Sure enough, this was the alleyway they were in when Latias had her... moment. He looked around, and sighed unhappily. He barely recognized the alley. No wonder why he was terrible with directions.

Latias held up the bills, and quickly gave them a count. One hundred, exactly like they left it. "Yes. Easily enough. So... are you still hungry?"

Ash couldn't help himself, and nodded with a grin. Latias smiled at his enthusiasm, and tried her best to return it. "Well... Even if we wanted to try Mario's, it's the middle of the dinner rush. If you want, we could try a lower key restaurant?"

She got a very enthusiastic nod in return.

* * *

Latias took a single bite of her pizza, and sighed happily. While this place didn't have the amazing quality of Mario's, it was still decent. But the fact that she went an entire day without food made her care little. This pizza was one of the best she ever had. She looked over to Ash, who was halfheartedly poking at his spaghetti. She frowned lightly, but forced it into her best simile of a smile. "So... Do you like it?"

The young Lati jolted, and looked up to Latias. She was wearing her faint, cold smile again, but concern was evident in her eyes. He looked down to his food, and noticed he barely touched it. She, however, was already three slices down. He was definitely out of it if someone was beating him in rate of consumption. "Oh! Um, yeah, it's really good!"

Latias raised an eyebrow, and her cold "smile" died a very sudden death. "Ash? Something wrong?"

The young male sighed, and poked the plate of noodles in front of him. "Nah, it's just... well..."

Latias frowned further, but she waited nonetheless. Now wasn't the time to be impatient. Ash leaned back, and released another sigh. "What you said earlier, well... It made me realize something. What if I am gonna be here for a while? Do I just, I don't know, live here? Forever?"

He poked his meal again, and sighed. Latias frowned a bit, and thought on how to respond. She recalled faint memories of him declaring his wish to be a Pokemon master, and pursuing his goal fervently. She even recalled making sure to watch some of his battles on the TV when she could. But now, that goal was out of his reach, as long as he maintained his current form.

She could possibly use her illusions to make him seem human, but she couldn't allow him to speak yet, or remain unseen by some of the higher quality security cameras. And that also involved the two of them leaving Altomare, something she couldn't and wouldn't do without a damn good reason. And while she loved him, leaving her brother's Soul Dew to go gallivanting off just to perform in a pokemon league wasn't good enough. She didn't trust anyone with it for longer than a day or two, and those were with her most trusted of Lati. She could almost count all of them on both her hands. Twelve, out of more than six hundred adults.

"Ash..." She said lightly, and, after a short moment of hesitation, put her hand on his shoulder. She didn't know how to assuage his fears without possibly making them worse. However, she could possibly cheer him up. "I know it doesn't mean much, but..." She said hesitantly.

"Do you want to take a flight to Kanto?"

Ash lifted his head, and looked somewhat surprised. He expected a promise to make him happy, or a small lecture on how it wasn't so bad living in Altomare. Not a offer to take him home. "Huh?"

Latias shrugged, and sighed a bit. She hoped she was doing the right thing. "It's only a couple hours of flight, there and back. We could fly over, and stop by your house, wherever that is. Visit, maybe? Or tell your mom what happened? I could use my illusion to make you look human... It'd help."

Ash looked at her for a second, before forming a response. She would be a great help, actually. As long as his mom didn't find out about the whole... claiming thing. But, right before he could agree, a question came up. "Er, how do you know I'm from Kanto?"

Latias rolled her eyes, and smiled. And, again, he neglects to think how important he was, at least to her. "And, on this side, Ash Ketchum, from Pallet town?"

Ash smiled a bit, and poked his meal again. Maybe he should have tried Pizza. This spaghetti wasn't doing it for him. "I guess that makes sense." He thought for a moment, before looking back to Latias in mild surprise. "Wait, you watched my battles?"

The Princess of Altomare smirked, and rolled her eyes. He really didn't seem to get it. "Ash, the first thing I did when I knew it was you, was kiss you. You think I wouldn't watch your pokemon battles?"

The young male awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, and chuckled, kinda embarrassed. "You got a point there... So... If it's alright... I'd like that. So, when do we go?"

Latias shrugged, and took another bite of her pizza. She couldn't help but chew slowly, savoring the slice. She missed human food so much. Raw fish just didn't compare. "Well," She said before swallowing, "We would have to stop at the sanctuary first."

"What for?"

She smiled lightly, and looked fondly down at her nearly finished slice of pizza. She definitely didn't regret going here. Prices were good, too. "Well, we have to tell the others we're going on a "hunting trip", along with me having to announce my claim."

Ash found himself slightly confused for a moment, and he couldn't help but cock his head to the side. He understood the hunting trip thing, seeing as he was "always" a Lati to the others, but the announcement seemed somewhat pointless. "Huh? Why would you need to announce your claim?"

Latias smiled softly, and looked at Ash. "A claim is much alike an engagement, Ash. It's a happy event, something to be celebrated. Besides, my advisers know of it. It's expected to be announced within a week of when it happens, unless something important prevents you from being able to do so, and frankly, I really don't want to hear their complaining. It's just easier to do it now, than hear questions of why I haven't done it yet."

Ash looked daunted at the prospect. "What? Why did you tell your advisers?"

The female actually looked somewhat Mareepish at that. "I needed something to use so I could get the day off."

The young Sky-Dancer sighed, and just shook his head. Some random Lati knew of the claim before he did. Great. "And if I don't announce it, nearly every available female would try and court you herself when she saw you, on top of that."

Latias took another bite, and continued. "As a... foreigner, and a Sky-Dancer, you are desirable. It helps that you are quite physically attractive as well." She added with a somewhat smug smirk. Of course her Ash would be attractive. It had to be a rule, somewhere. "So, I merely need to announce my claim on you to the herd, as tradition requires, so I do not have to refute any... illegitimate competition who doesn't know any better."

Ash looked slightly surprised, and felt a pang of confusion. He certainly didn't think he was attractive, but then again, he didn't really know what Lati considered attractive in the first place. And not only that, but he thought that the claim was obvious, and yet, Latias would need to defend her claim against him from those who didn't know about it. So many contradictions. "I thought you said that they could just check for a claim?"

Latias couldn't help herself, and smiled in pride. He was learning. "I did. But most Lati don't actually bother checking for claims and instead use their noses. It's easy to tell who're mates, they always smell like each other no matter what, but fresh claims... We haven't been close enough yet to make a lasting scent, or even more than a passing scent. All you probably are to them is a male who bumped into the Princess and lived. By the time most get claimed, you would've normally been covered in their scent."

Ash blushed lightly, and his light frown grew. And just how would they get a better scent? "Er, to get close, do we..."

"Have to spend time together? Yes." She picked up the second slice of pizza, and prepared to take a bite. "Physical contact is kinda needed for smell, Ash. I thought you, the great Pokemon master, would know that." Latias replied, before taking a bite. She had a light, slightly warmer than usual smirk on her face, and scooted closer. "Sleeping in the same nest will help, as will preening, hugging, just about anything physical. Preening and sleeping together works best, just because of what they involve."

"Want a bite?" She asked, and held up her slice and took another bite. "It's quite good." She added, her mouth still somewhat full.

Ash raised an eyebrow lightly, and looked at the pizza. But, for some strange reason, his mom's lectures on manners came to mind. "Er, why do you talk with your mouth full? Isn't that bad manners?"

Latias smirked a bit more, and shook her head as she took a third bite. "Ash, to Lati, I am eating like a very snooty princess. I use any more "Human" manners, and I start looking more snooty than royal, and that's not a good thing. And I know you eat the same. And don't act like I didn't see your aftermath with that basket of berries. So, again, pizza? It's good."

She lifted it up towards Ash, and hovered it in front of his mouth. He looked down at it for a moment, and stared. Latias rolled her eyes, and spoke again. "Yes, or no? My arm's getting tired."

Ash took another trepidatious look at the pizza, and internally shrugged. He had shared food with Pikachu numerous times before, and this wasn't any different. Except the fact that it wasn't Pikachu, but with his sudden fiancé. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained. He took a bite, and chewed. It admittedly was good.

"Can I have another bite?"

Latias sat there for a moment, prepared to give Ash another bite of Pizza, before a sudden thought came through. Now, she normally wasn't one to throw caution to the wind, but this was special. This was a perfect time to try her hand at flirting, at least with what she was familiar with.

She nodded, and quickly leaned in, and did the very first thing that popped into her mind. Giving Ash a small nip on his neck. Ash nearly jumped out of his skin, and Latias had to keep herself from laughing. She kept her mouth there for a short moment, making sure his face was sufficiently red before pulling back, and gave the red-faced male a satisfied smile. The instant he saw her expression, he blushed even further. She cheered internally, happy that she successfully made some sexual tension, and got the ball rolling. However, before she could try a different tactic, or even go for another pass, she noticed an older couple staring at her from the corner of her eye. She looked forward, and noticed the disapproval on their faces, and a sudden thought came to her. She nibbled him. In public.

"Wha... Huh?" Ash barely made out. He should have expected such treachery, but it still caught him off guard. His face felt like it was burning, and, to his surprise, Latias looked equally embarrassed. She blushed a bit, and tried giving him a smile, although it seemed awkward. "Th-there. You got some more of my scent."

Ash didn't think he ever heard her stutter out of genuine embarrassment before. It was surreal.

She quickly picked up the slice of half eaten pizza, and plopped it down on his plate. She knew that blaming the pizza for her actions was silly, but dang it, it made her feel better. Besides, it was a good enough offering to her claimed. She looked over, and noticed that yet another pair of customers was staring at her, and she quickly contemplated running to the bathroom with some half-baked excuse. But, to her, that seemed like running, and she wouldn't run, not when she had an important wooing quota, although that was dissuaded by all the unhappy faces staring at her. Besides, Lorip would never let her hear the end of it if he found out. She instead decided to go off the rails, and, in a moment of complete impulse plucked Ash's fork from him, and stole a meatball.

"Hey!"

She quickly bit it off the fork, and gave her claimed a smug little smile, although it didn't negate her blush much. Sure, stealing food from a dragon, any dragon, wasn't a good idea, but Ash wasn't just any dragon. He was Ash. And even if he retaliated, she could take it. So, instead of making a smug comment, or a flirtatious smirk like she should have, she simply said "I always loved spaghetti."

She smirked at Ash, and, following her impulses once more, moved to steal another piece. Ash quickly retaliated, however, by picking off a piece of pepperoni off her pizza and flicking it at her. It hit her right on her cheek, and again, in unison, the pair froze. Ash suddenly looked nervous, and Latias, well, she simply looked surprised. She couldn't help but bring a hand up to her face, and slowly picked off the offending sausage. She should have been surprised, but she somehow found herself disappointed. She expected a worse reaction then that. She just stole his food.

However, she wouldn't take this attack sitting down. She brought it in front of her, and stared at it or a moment, and contemplated a proper course of action. She quickly found one.

Ash was simultaneously surprised and unamused when the pepperoni hit him in the eye.

* * *

Latias sighed unhappily as she pulled a couple noodles off of her head. That escalated far beyond what she expected, and frankly, her expectations, (and hopes) involved a small physical fight on the rooftop, followed by tired snuggling. Sure, it didn't get nearly as physical, but she doubted that old lady would ever look at parmesan the same way again, and she was going to have nightmares about baguettes for weeks.

On the bright side, they only got kicked out, rather than arrested. No disguise change or invisibility needed. "I hope Bianca doesn't get banned from that restaurant." She said unhappily, as she plucked another stray noodle. Ash, on the other hand, was struggling with a surprisingly large amount of tomato sauce on his face. He licked his hand again, trying to get it clean enough for another wipe, but it failed to do much beyond smearing it around, and it was obvious that the filthy feeling was irritating him.

The reason was obvious, at least to her. He had gotten it in his feathers, and with this "basic level" illusion, you weren't going to be able to ignore that feeling, simply because it didn't cover that. And she couldn't help but sigh when he tried his old fallback, wiping it on his pants. All he was managing to do was coat himself in tomato sauce. Something she would have to fix. And that was going to take some time.

"Ugh, why did it have to be sticky?" He grumbled, and tried another wipe. Latias watched him in exasperation, and sighed. Sure, he started it, but it was her fault that it got escalated. And that he got a face full of spaghetti. And covered in garlic. She forced back an amused smile, and instead feigned a unhappy sigh, emphasizing her displeasure. She was supposed to be irked because she was covered in food, not amused that she mentally scared a rich old socialite using a form of aged cheese. She forced a frown, an admittedly curious sensation, seeing as how easy they normally came, and looked at Ash. "I'll have to give you a full preening when we get back. There's no way a simple bath would get us clean at this point without going through a car wash."

Ash nodded, but found a question rise. He looked her over, and while she wasn't as dirty as he was, she was still filthy. "What about you?"

Latias frowned a bit at him, and shook her head. She knew it'd be too much to ask him, and frankly, even if he offered, she'd refuse, regardless of how much she'd love to. He knew nothing about preening, and frankly, right now wasn't the best way to learn. Trial through flames wasn't the best way to learn when it wasn't required, and she didn't particularly feel like having her feathers pulled out every time he tugged too hard on a particularly dirty feather. An irritation normally, but with how filthy she was, it would be a painful and embarrassing experience for both of them. "I can preen myself, thank you." She said rather calmly.

Ash raised an eyebrow at this, and sighed. He would've offered, but she didn't seem to be in the best humor right now. Plus, he learned that she had quite the temper, and he didn't want to trigger it. He didn't know if she had this before, but she certainly had it now.

And so, he simply nodded, and thought of a conversational topic. Latias didn't really seem all that happy right now, and frankly, he preferred her when she wasn't a step away from freezing the world in her cold fury. He looked down to the remnants of his money in his hands, and recalled something. "Hey, Latias, wait right here!"

The female gave him a look, but she quickly nodded. She had no clue what he planned to do, but she'd humor him. He put up with her starting a food fight, after all. "Very well."

Ash smiled, and turned around, and ran towards a nearby market shop that sold fresh products. He couldn't help but note its homey-ness when he entered, and immediately upon passing the door, found himself in the middle of countless plant based foods. But, he wasn't there for corn or potatoes, no, he was here for something exotic.

He quickly started looking for his prey. It'd be in the fruit section, surely. If only this place had a fruit section. Instead, it was organized by... he didn't know what. However, he was determined, and he swore he would find it. Yache berries. It took him a minute of searching, but it wasn't for naught. As luck would have it, there were a couple dozen boxes left. He plucked it up, and moved to the counter, but stopped before he got there.

'I wonder if they have wet naps?' He thought curiously, and instead returned to the few short isles. They didn't, however, he did find a large twelve pack of paper towels. He quickly returned to the counter, where an older woman sat. She looked him over, in a mixture of confusion and disgust, but she didn't do anything beyond an approving nod towards his choice of paper towels. "Is that all, dear?"

Ash nodded, and opened his mouth to reply, but sadly, all he got out was a Lati coo. He frowned, and instead simply put a single hand up to his throat. The elder lady seemed to catch on, and nodded. "Alright. Your total is 23 pokedollars."

Ash nearly choked, and looked to the small box of berries. Ten berries, and it cost 16 dollars. No wonder Latias didn't get them often. He couldn't return without his prize, however, and nodded, giving the woman the rest of his money. Sure, there was a dollar left, but it wasn't enough for anything at the moment, and he was getting tired of carrying it. He nodded at her smile, and quickly left to return to Latias. He ran back, and sure enough, Latias was still sitting there, looking quite bored.

"Hey Latias!" He shouted, and she turned to look at him. He held up the box, and the roll of paper towels, and she looked slightly amused. "Huh. Smart. We won't have to walk around like an Italian dish then." She then looked at the box, and her expression turned curious. "Ash, what's that?"

He smiled, and gave her the box. "Well, these are, well, to cheer you up."

Latias raised an eyebrow. She wasn't aware she was unhappy. However, she opened up the box, and found herself staring at several Yache berries, and she could help but smile lightly. He remembered her favorite berries. She'd have to share them with him when they got a chance to eat them. "Ash, thank you."

Ash nodded happily, and smiled. "No problem. I thought it'd cheer you up."

Latias smiled, and gave him a light kiss on his cheek. He blushed lightly at the contact, and she couldn't help but mirror it. "Now," She said, pulling back. "Could you... not tell anyone we had a food fight in the middle of a restaurant?"

Ash responded with a grin. "Only if you don't tell Pikachu I lost."

Latias shook her head in amusement, and decided to simply agree. She already had something to tell the mouse, anyway. She doubted the news of her victory in the field of food battle would even be registered. And so, she nodded. "Alright. Now, let's get to the sanctuary. We'll take a dip in one of the canals before we get there."

* * *

**A/N So, this is the first bit. Last time I checked, the current word count before I cut it into bits was 15k, but that wouldn't work, seeing as I was a quarter done plot-wise just for the rest of the "chapter", and that'll take foreeeeeever. I wanted to make the rest of the first day into one chapter, but frankly, we still got a lot to do, just in the first act. But regardless!**

**Next chapter is the rest, (And may be up real soon, if I cut it again, which in that case, won't be the rest) and after the end of day one, I'm gonna put up a chapter with the relevant human characters. I know everyone wants Ash's momma, and I understand, but I can't give you much of her. She holds the answers to the plot-points you shouldn't find out until at least act five, and it's still act one. Heck, most of what I need to have her say just to make basic communication and reasoning will ruin some crap, so I just need to avoid using her until it's time. I will, however, be using Tracy and Gary as a proxy, so you can tell where she's going, and basic reasons.**

**Oh well.**

**So, I got me 235 reviews, 258 favs, and 335 follows. That is uber-awesome, and I thank you all! *Squee***

**So, feel free to review, either to complain, complement, or criticize. Heaven knows I need some pointers. XD**

**Random trivia:**

**In the original draft, Ash wasn't actually a hatchling survivor, but instead, Lati eggs survived forever until they felt the need to hatch, ala Eragon. He was 4,000 years old before he hatched to Delia, the last of a clan of ancient Dragon masters. Both ideas were cut, due to being too similar to Eragon, although Delia being a dragon trainer stayed. Latias, on the other hand, was only 44 years old when she hatched. Latios had been hatched, and was in his fifties when his little sister finally joined him. **


	17. -End of the first day-

**A/N *Whew***

**So, that was a thing. This chapter has been a supreme pain, in writing, fixing, editing, and even just getting the time to write it. I swear, if I have to write a chapter this big again, I'm cuttin' it up. I actually still want to do that, just out of spite at this point.**

**I hate it so much. XD**

**In other news, 100k words! My first story to reach it! And only in four months! Will the wonders ever cease!?**

**So, This was supposed to be posted the fifteenth. And the seventeenth. And, well, the eighteenth. But, after numerous delays, here it is!**

**A great thanks to Syrup-Waffle! I'd be lost if not for him!**

**Hope you all enjoy it!**

* * *

Latias looked down at herself, and nodded.

She was clean. Somewhat.

Her companion, however, couldn't help himself, and sighed contently. Who knew a paper towel and canal bath would actually work that well? And still would manage to be somewhat pleasant? Ash would admit that he was skeptical, but now, he was convinced of the power of paper towels. Sure, Latias said that they both still needed a good preening, and he still reeked of spices and cheese, but she said she was sure that they were now both presentable enough to enter the sanctuary without fear of gathering genuinely appalled looks.

As Ash sat there, happily looking himself over, Latias was looking forward to the entrance of the sanctuary, and sighed. It was time. She couldn't help but swallow nervously as she moved forward, and the wall fell away, and she found herself back into the sanctuary.

She looked backward, and sure enough, Ash had followed without problems. She smiled lightly at him, and sighed in relief as she dropped the illusion. She felt her body immediately return, and the strain on her mind float away. That was honestly the first time she had disguised someone beside herself for longer than a few short moments, and she was happy it went so well.

She quickly gestured with a claw for him to follow, her pride growing when he took the sudden transformation in stride, with naught but a short pause. He was still noticeably dirty, but not horribly so, and he was good enough for a trip through the sanctuary. However, he did carry the stench of spaghetti sauce, and while she rather enjoyed it, it wasn't a natural smell, and their presentation set the mood for their relationship in the eyes of others. It had to go.

She gave a light, almost unnoticeable glance at the female that replaced Kolm, before turning to her and giving her a faint smile. "Youpi, I have a new task for you. I need you to go gather the herd. I have a very important announcement." The female nodded nervously, but before she moved to follow her orders, she managed to sneak a look at Ash, who was idly picking at his somewhat dirty feathers. Latias frowned at the female's curiosity. If she recalled, she was still single.

"Now, Youpi." She said, forcing the beginnings of anger from her voice. She knew she didn't need to feel jealous, nor had the female done anything to truly deserve her anger, but she had long found that her emotions, just like everyone else's, were never logical. She would fear others trying to steal her Ash, always expect every female to be an unspoken opponent until she'd tied the knot. Probably even after.

The female nodded nervously under her look, and quickly shot off to follow her orders, and the pair was left alone. Latias sighed in exasperation at the moment, but forced herself to cheer up, quickly making a list of things that were going good. In a short while, she'd give the announcement, and she wouldn't have to worry about others trying to woo her Ash. She had him claimed, the day off, and got some pizza. She definitely hadn't had a day this good in a long time. The only comparable moment she had was when her brother was alive, and Ash played with them in the sanctuary. And the day could still get easily better. They had several hours, after all. And the sooner that Ash got to Pallet, the sooner she could make more... definitive moves on him. He wouldn't be worried that he would be declared missing or dead, and thus, would hopefully relax. And the sooner Ash relaxed and was happier, the sooner she'd feel at ease, and be able to do more... active things. But first things first.

She needed to make Ash presentable.

"Ok, so, now what?"

Latias looked over to Ash, and smiled coolly. She was already looking forward to the next bit. "Well, we'll first go to my grove and I'll give you a good, thorough preening. And hopefully, Pikachu managed to succeed in fixing it. Then, after you look less like a flying spaghetti monster, we'll go and I'll give my announcement. Then, right after that, we'll go to Pallet."

Ash nodded in agreement. "Will we be able to get there in time?"

Latias shrugged. "Well, it's four right now, so if we leave in an hour, we should get there before nightfall. But we'll have to stay the night. It isn't safe to fly at night around Altomare." Latias sighed. "You never know what will sneak up on you in the dark."

Ash gave a frown. "Like what?"

Latias sighed. "Well, let's just say Lati are a very desired species for the worst reasons."

Ash nodded sadly as he felt a pang of irritation. He knew what she was referring to, if only because of Norman. "It's Aqua and Magma, and that Whirlwind group, isn't it?"

Latias nodded in acknowledgement, and frowned unhappily. "Yes. Aqua keeps subs outside of the city's fishing lanes, and Magma always has a boat or two floating around. Even Whirlwind has a small outpost to keep an eye out on us. We're a big target, Ash. We're a herd over 600 pairs strong, and much more if you consider adolescents and hatchlings. That's bigger than one of the normal Great Herds."

Ash sighed unhappily. He knew he wouldn't like the answer, but he had to ask. "And what happened to them? You know, the great herds?"

The Princess frowned even further, and shook her head. This was supposed to be a happy moment. "They got wiped out. We know that all but one are gone, and no one really knows where the last one is. They're either dead, or in hiding, and if they are still alive, I'm impressed."

Latias shook her head, and forced a light smile onto her face. "But, right here, right now, this is the safest place for a Lati to be. That is why so many live here. So, we'll worry about Whirlwind and the other groups later. Let's just get you into the grove, and give you that preen I promised."

Latias started moving forward towards her grove, and looked back at him as he followed. "So, I know you got a preen from that Latios on your way here, but he didn't exactly do the best job."

Ash gave Latias a slightly insulted look, and she shook her head awkwardly. "I did not mean it as an insult towards him. He just wasn't very thorough, and he did it as detached as he could."

Latias waited a short moment for Ash to cool down, before she continued. "To Lati, preening is either done by one's self, or by a family member or mate. Preening is very personal, and a sign of trust. As a Lati's feathers are important, letting another preen you is a sign that you trust them enough with one of your most important abilities."

She looked at him, and smirked. "In fact... do I even have your permission to preen you?"

For a short second, Ash actually considered telling her no out of spite for the situation, but, frankly, he already agreed to be her claimed, and it honestly hadn't been very bad so far. "Sure."

Latias gave him another one of her rare, full smiles, before turning back around. "So... When I preen you, I should tell you that I will be using my mouth for some of it."

And that stopped Ash in his tracks. "What?!"

Latias looked back at him, and raised an eyebrow. "What? Did you expect me to use my claws, like that Latios? That's the least effective way to do it. It's horrible for spreading the oils, and frankly, is as far away from correct preening as one can get and still be saying that they are preening. The right way is either with your mouth, or with psychic, if you're in a huge rush, but letting someone run their psychic energy over you is even more intimate than a normal preen in the first place, so he was forced to use his claws."

Latias then gave him another smile. She contemplated trying her hand at flirting again, but decided against it. He was uncomfortable enough as it was. "I won't be getting anywhere embarrassing, if that's what you're worried about. I will refrain from your wings, belly, and anywhere intimate. Merely your back and neck, where it is the most noticeable. Our oils mixed with our saliva is what gives our feathers sheen, and psychic doesn't work for that."

He nodded begrudgingly, and continued to follow her. "So, we're almost there. But, where is everyone?"

Latias blinked, and looked around, curiously at his question. "I know I don't like many near my grove, but there's usually-" Before she could finish her sentence, she stopped in place, and started staring at a strange bush. Ash stopped as well, and did the same, and in the same instant, they asked the exact same question.

"Is that bush tied down?"

Latias slowly ventured closer out of sheer curiosity, and to her surprise, heard a muffled noise emanating from it. She got slightly closer, and, sure enough, found that the tied up bush was squirming as well.

She looked over to Ash, who, for some reason, seemed surprisingly unfazed. In fact, if anything, he looked somewhat relieved, but at what, she didn't know, until he actually spoke. "Huh, so they got these here too."

She couldn't help but look incredulously at her claimed, and Ash looked over at her, and almost laughed at the sheer disbelief on her face. "What do you mean, _they got these here too?_"

Ash shrugged, and looked at the bush. "Well, a ton of times during me and Pikachu's adventures, we'd come across a bush with some people tied up in them."

Latias stared at him for a moment, before putting a claw up to her face. "So, you mean there's someone in there?" She asked slowly. It was actually quite obvious, but frankly, she didn't wish to take any chances. She'd seen a great many of Ash's memories, and while they were quickly fading away, due to her very limited exposure to them, she already knew the world was a strange place. And she had personally seen weirder than this, to be honest. If Ash didn't recognize this, she'd chalk it up as one of the Twin's shenanigans. But no, this seemed to be something else.

Ash nodded in confirmation, and quickly grabbed a rope in his claws and pulled it free. Latias sighed, and did the same, and after removing several ropes, Ash was able to get in a look at the trapped residents of the bush.

It was several Lati. Ash looked at them, and they, tied up individually, looked back with a plethora of emotions, although most of them were relief. He noticed they had gags, and quickly removed one from the smallest of the group. The small Latias immediately sputtered in disgust, before sighed. "Thank you, Princess. And... Who are you?"

Before Ash could answer, he heard a snap from behind, and he barely managed to turn around in time to see an eerily familiar yellow pokemon swinging an Iron tail at him. "Oh crap-" He immediately pulled his arms in front of his face and closed his eyes, expecting a blow, but it never came. Once Ash was sure he wasn't about to be stricken down, he opened his eyes, and found Pikachu, his Pikachu, floating in the air, surrounded by psychic energy with a half formed Iron tail. He blinked once, before looking over to Latias, who looked surprisingly calm for one who was just attacked. "Pikachu."

It wasn't a question, or even an acknowledgement. It was more of a statement of absolute fact. The grass was green; water was wet, and Pikachu.

The electric starter in question stopped his midair squirming, and in a turn of events that shocked everyone, sighed in relief. "Oh, thank Arceus it's you."

Latias didn't dare say or do anything, and simply stared for several moments, in absolute silence. Almost every instinct in her mind and body screamed for her to smite him where he floated, but he was an old friend, even if he was, in a weird way, her competition. But after a moment of contemplating, she decided to let the mouse live. But, if he was, as she suspected, responsible, his punishment would not be gentle. She gave a clearly guiding glance toward the bush, and looked back to the floating mouse. "Pikachu, what's this?"

Pikachu winced a bit, and sighed. He knew he should've just ran for the treeline. He mumbled something, and Latias frowned. She didn't quite catch his words. "Could you repeat that?" She asked firmly.

The electric type nodded morosely, and replied, this time much clearer. "Well, at the time, I called it the Bush O' bodies..."

Latias raised an eyebrow, before smiling softly, and Ash felt a familiar set of warning bells shoot up. She gently put down Pikachu in front of her, and spoke as softly as her voice would let her. "And why are my Lati populating your "Bush o' Bodies?"

Pikachu frowned, and gave his reply, ignoring the sense of impending dread. "Well, one of them tried to eat me. And another wouldn't stay down." He said, looking at the most dazed of Lati with a light glare. "And, well, the rest, they tried to get help."

Latias looked over to the bound and gagged Lati, one or two looking embarrassed, before she looked back to the electric type. "So, you beat them down, and tied them up?"

Pikachu nodded awkwardly, looking at nothing in particular. Latias put a set of claws up to her face, and moaned in exasperation. "All I told you to do was fix the hole in my grove, so I don't get rained on or have a mud patch grow where I'd normally sleep. Instead, you kidnap several Lati, including the one who would fix it if you asked, and held them hostage. Why?"

Pikachu didn't dare reply.

She shook her head, and looked over to the group that still sat there, tied up. She did nothing for a moment, before giving an almighty sigh. "Very well. Pikachu, First off, untie these Lati and apologize. And you have to mean it. And then," She looked over to the other Lati, "Once you are all untied, I want Melia" She looked pointedly at the smallest Latias "To fix my grove. And those who tried to eat Pikachu, well, apologize to him as well."

Pikachu winced, but nodded. "Do not eat Pikachu." She said to no one in particular, and she shook her head once more. Today was just one of those days.

"So, er, is that it?"

Latias laughed, and looked at the mouse. "Oh, most certainly not. There is still your punishment to be given." She also glanced to the Lati that sat there, and stared at them. "And for the ones who tried to eat Pikachu, you will be sharing his punishment. I believe there's a rule about eating pokemon found in the sanctuary, is there not?"

The Latias in question winced, and slowly nodded.

The Princess sighed, and shook her head. "So, Pikachu, I have an announcement to give, and Ash desperately needs a preening. I will deal with you, and your punishment, later. In the mean time, you, and your new best friend," She added, looking at the Latias who apparently started it, "are going to assist someone. A female named Youpi gathers the rest of the Lati, and moves them to the gathering area. You are to help her, and listen to her. Is that clear?"

Pikachu almost opened his mouth to object, but decided against it. The other Latias, however, nodded in approval, and looked over to Pikachu with a very surprising smile. Pikachu tried to awkwardly smile back, and The Princess almost laughed. Almost.

"Good."

She then turned back to the direction of her grove, and looked over to Ash, pointedly ignoring the shocked and confused stares she got when she smiled fondly at the male. "So, let's get you clean."

* * *

After the pair got to her grove, Latias looked over Ash, and a sudden realization struck her. She was going to preen Ash. She honestly never dreamed she would do this. In her dreams, maybe she'd mate or marry him, and have little Lati or human children, maybe, against all laws of nature. But preen? Never actually thought of it. Never was an option in the first place, and even in her more vivid and imaginative dreams, she never thought of the small things like preening.

It was surreal. Reality was really stranger than fiction.

"So," Latias began, pushing the previous thought to the side, "Ash, once we finish this, we'll announce my claim. If it's not too much to ask, I'll need you to be quiet until I finish, and, well, do you have anything to say or want to know?"

Ash pondered for a second. He did have numerous questions. But, he didn't know where to start. So, he just asked the first thing that popped into his mind. "When will we go to Pallet?"

Latias smiled. She should've guessed. "If all goes well, we'll leave right after the announcement, both so we get there soon and so we won't get swarmed. When I finish, just nod and smile, and say thank you to any compliments you get. Do that, and we should get out quickly."

Ash nodded awkwardly. Latias smiled further, and moved behind him. "So, just sit still, I'll preen you."

She slowly moved her mouth to his neck, when a new thought appeared. She never imagined herself doing this to anyone again, since her brother. She hoped she wasn't rusty. She moved her mouth closer, and went for the dirtiest spot she could find, and began working through the feathers. She did it gently, almost too gently for Ash's taste, but she quickly gained confidence, and with it, strength. "So..." She started, her mouth away from his neck, for a moment, "Do you have any other questions?"

Ash pondered for a second, barely noting her resuming her preening, before nodding. "Well, is there any... surprises I should know about?"

Latias shrugged lightly, and removed her mouth from his neck again to respond. "Not any I could predict. Lati court much like humans. It's our choice, not anyone else's, and they'll respect my decision. And if they don't, it matters little. It's still my choice, regardless of other's opinions or even my status. I could be hated and shunned, and they would still have no right to refuse."

She pulled gently on a tuft of feathers, and sighed, pulling away once more from his neck. "On second thought... we might have to worry about a Latios named Merrim. He's not from a normal Lati herd, and doesn't seem to understand normal Lati behavior. Either that, or he just doesn't care. He might try and pull something. But he wouldn't be able to do much beyond complain and whine."

She put her mouth back to his neck, and resumed. Ash sat in silence, and frowned. He heard that name before, somewhere. "Er, who's Merrim?"

Latias sighed. This conversation wasn't heading where she wanted it to. "Well," She replied, pulling a couple damaged feathers free, "He is an arrogant Latios who, while competent at many things, isn't nearly as good at them as he thinks he is."

"Good at what?" Ash inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Latias frowned. Really not going where she wanted. "Anything, really. He's one of our best fighters, and a decent leader. He pulls his share, and is a decent Latios all around skill-wise."

Ash raised his eyebrow. Latias continued, her irritation at the arrogant Lati rising. She still hadn't forgiven his insult towards Ash. "However, he is an arrogant Casanova who thinks he is Arceus' gift to us Lati."

"He's a Casanova, kinda like Brock?"

Latias smiled at the mention of the older human, but shook her head. "No, because if Brock actually got someone to accept him, I'm pretty sure he'd stay with her for life. Merrim, he just likes to play the field."

Ash frowned lightly, and tried to wrap his head around the concept, but he found himself at a loss. Latias sighed, and continued. "He has pursued me for quite some time. He never seemed to get the hint that I was never remotely interested."

The male youth found himself irked at this. The guy seemed like a mixture of Paul and Gary before they improved. "Er, why haven't you...?"

"Accepted? Because I made my choice of who I'd love the day you saved me from Annie and Oakley, Ash." She replied happily, a light smile gracing her lips. Ash, however, frowned. That wasn't what he was going to ask. "Besides, even if I didn't love you or even meet you, he'd still be at the end of my list, as I loathe arrogance. And, if you showed up like you did, and I wasn't claimed, I'd probably still choose you anyway. You are very attractive, both physically and behavior-wise. I enjoy the kind, stubborn type."

Ash blinked, and blushed brightly. It wasn't often he received a complement of that nature. "Oh, er... You're really pretty too?"

Latias smiled, and shook her head. She knew he was just reciprocating the complement, but it was still nice. "Thank you, Ash. So... Let's get done. The Lati are probably nearly gathered."

* * *

Ash shuffled awkwardly as he sat beside Latias. The trip to the gathering area was short, but now he had an idea how big the sanctuary really was. And he was no longer surprised that the herd was six hundred pairs strong. He didn't know what that meant, but he guessed it meant pairs of wings. But still, they could probably fit another four hundred in here, and still have some free room.

However, he now also had an idea how many six hundred Lati really were. There were several large crowds around area, and while it interested him greatly, seeing that many legendaries in one area, the situation was somewhat ruined by all the curious stares he was getting. Well, most of them were curious, but a few seemed a bit more intrigued. And most of those were from the Latias population, but a few males gave him the same... intrigued stare.

All in all, it was awkward.

So, he sat there, under the eyes of dozens, if not hundreds of Lati, hoping this wouldn't take long. The situation was just getting worse. Sure, he liked Latias as a friend, and was even willing to give her a shot, but this was pushing it. He was actually starting to hope that, with this much effort being put in on his part, that they really would stay together, if only so his efforts wouldn't go to waste. He didn't think he could handle another romantic situation, if this was what they were like.

Meanwhile, while Ash was hesitant, Latias was irritated. Even though her preen took almost a half hour, they were still too early. She wanted to avoid the stares, and the curious looks, and more importantly, the awkward waiting while the majority of the herd showed up, leaving Ash to ponder the situation in a negative light some more.

And if that weren't enough, now good chunk of the unclaimed female population was actively eyeing Ash, and the only thing stopping the rest was their absence. And, for whatever reason, Ash, the dense Boy-wonder, was actually noticing their stares. Of course he would, now that she claimed him. He couldn't just make it simple. She took a deep breath, and released it, garnering a look from Ash in the process. She gave him a false smile, and shook her head. "I'm fine. Everything's fine."

She quickly pondered a way to keep him distracted, from both his worries and her competition. But, all she had right now was herself, and the crowds of Lati surrounding them. Guess she had her options set out for her. Latias took a breath, and then gestured toward the first small group of Lati she spotted, catching Ash's attention. "So, you see the Lati on the right?"

Ash nodded. "Well," She began, "She is one of the few I trust to guard the Soul Dew, when I'm not watching over it myself. She, and her mate are two of my advisers."

Ash nodded, and looked back over to them, now somewhat interested. She smiled, and gave another gesture toward the Latios sitting beside the first. "And I think you met the one beside her last night. He's basically Lorip's partner. Amien. He's the calm one, and that Latias' mate."

Ash nodded, recalling the older male from the night before. "I think I remember him. Is he always so... serious?"

Latias chuckled, her light laugh almost spooking Ash. "Yes. Always. The dragon is made of nothing but stone and frowns, I swear."

She stared happily over at Amien for a moment, before looking over to the next group of Lati, and her light smile died. "And the Latios in that next group, the one in the middle, _that_ is Merrim."

Ash looked over, and he quickly matched her frown as he looked at the male. He looked pretty normal besides his large size. He was, however, with two other males, and they were chatting. "So, he's the jerk?"

Latias smiled a bit at the appellation, and nodded. "Yes, Ash. He's the 'Jerk."

The young male frowned, and continued staring. "And, what should I do if he tries to do something?"

Latias continued smiling, and shook her head. "Just leave that to me. Regardless of what he does, I will deal with it. I owe both him and you that much."

Ash nodded awkwardly, and frowned. The male Latios looked over to the pair, and, when he caught sight of Ash, glared at him, surprising the Sky-Dancer. "Er... Did he hear me?"

Latias shrugged, her amusement showing. "Possibly. Or he's just angry that you succeeded where he always failed. Or that he doesn't know you."

That wasn't the most reassuring answer. Ash looked over to Merrim, and just shook his head. "So, do I, er, have to fight him?"

The Princess smiled at that. "I wouldn't allow it. Heck, If anything, I will. But I doubt it. He has a temper, but he's not some mindless idiot." Her mind switched over to earlier that day. "Well, usually."

Ash smiled back, and looked over the crowd one last time. "So, er... how long do we have to wait?"

The female looked over the crowd, and sighed. Lati were still pouring in, but it still wasn't enough. "Hopefully, only a few more minutes. A good chunk of the herd is here. And we don't need everyone , just a good majority."

Ash sighed, and nodded. He felt as if he was an animal in a zoo, being watched by everyone. He wondered if they expected him to do a trick. And so, the pair waited in silence for a few minutes, until Latias seemed satisfied with the headcount. "Alright. Ash, you ready?"

He shrugged. "What do I do again?"

She smiled softly, and, to Ash's surprise, fondly put a claw to his cheek. "Sit there and look handsome."

Ash smiled nervously at that, and Latias looked forward, and internally rolled her eyes. Apparently, she was getting sappy. She quickly pushed the thought down, however, and instead looked toward the crowd. "And now, I will begin my announcement!"

And suddenly, the entire crowd silenced, and they all focused on them. Latias looked around the crowd for a moment, before nodding in approval. She had their full attention. "My Lati!" She began, "I have called you all here today for one reason. Last night, I got a visitor. He was tired, and worn, and hungry, but otherwise, in good health. Now, we are no strangers to the sudden arrival of Lati in the middle of the night, hungry and tired, with nowhere else to go. We are all, with few exceptions, from other herds and groups, from different backgrounds and histories. But this visitor, he was not the normal Lati with nowhere else to go but here."

Latias waited for a moment, before continuing. "He was an old, very dear friend of mine. His name is Ash," She said, looking over to the male, "and he has always meant so very much to me. He was the hero who saved me, and, in proxy, my brother and all of Altomare, that fateful day, three years prior, during the hostile take-over of Altomare by Team Rocket. It was he who risked his life and limb to ensure I was safe, along with the Soul Dew, and ever since that fateful night, he always has held a special spot in my heart."

Latias looked over the crowd, and paused for a moment, letting her words sink in. They looked very... confused. "He was my first true friend, and, admittedly, my first and only love. I have waited for his return since the day he had to leave, and now, he has done as he had promised, and returned."

She paused one last moment, before finishing. "And now, it is my pleasure to announce my claim on him."

She looked over to Ash, and the entire crowd did the same, and stared at him. "This is Ash. And he is my future mate."

She then looked over to him, and floated closer. She slowly put her face beside his, and gave him what felt like the most sincere and loving nuzzle she had ever given. She then gave Ash a very genuine, happy smile, and Ash found himself reminded of Latias, before she lost her brother.

He then felt guilt, at leaving her for so long. He felt joy, at the sudden return of that smile, and he felt relieved, that it wasn't truly gone. He knew that this situation wasn't right, that he was basically forced into something he didn't understand, but right now, he'd live with it. Maybe it would work out in the end.

He couldn't help himself, and he interrupted her nuzzle to wrap his arms as far around her as the stubby limbs would allow, and brought her into a tight hug. Latias was surprised, but she didn't resist or complain, and instead returned it. After one short moment, she pulled back, and put her forehead on his, before breaking apart. Latias' face held the lightest of blushes, but she easily resumed speaking. "I... I look forward to our life together. That is all."

Ash found himself slightly amused by the abruptness of the ending, but, when he looked over to the crowd, he found that they didn't seem to mind.

Instead, they all seemed much more focused on him.

He looked around, and found a myriad of expressions on the faces of the gathered Lati. There were some that looked simply shocked, as if their world view had been changed. Others, they all looked at him as if he had descended from the heavens. And another group, they looked disappointed. A few even looked angry.

And then, he found Pikachu. He didn't know how he missed him before, seeing as he was bright yellow, but he did. But now, he didn't know what he would call that expression. It was somewhere between absolutely shocked, furious, and catatonic.

He stared at his best friend for another moment, hoping his expression would change, but it didn't. The mouse just... sat there, doing absolutely nothing. So, he moved on, and looked over to Latias, but she seemed busy with several well-wishers. She was politely nodding, and Ash shrugged, and decided to scan the rest of the crowd.

His eyes caught Amien, and an older Lati, who somehow seemed eerily familiar. He saw Yackey, and Kolm, near each other, and after that, he spotted Merrim. The male was coldly glaring at him, and Ash couldn't help but get irritated at the glare. Merrim lost, and he was apparently a sore loser. Again, he was reminded of Paul.

But after a moment of them sharing stares, Merrim started moving closer, keeping eye contact with Ash the entire time. The young Sky-dancer couldn't help but blink in surprise. Was Merrim... going to attack him?

Merrim had almost made it to Ash when Pikachu finally managed to recover. The electric type spotted Merrim moving toward Ash, and in a surprising dash of speed, managed to juxtaposition himself in between Ash and the aggressive male almost instantly, surprising both Lati. Pikachu gave Merrim a deathly glare in warning, but after a second, he gave a backwards glance to Ash. "Ash, I'll deal with you later. But right now..." Pikachu resumed his glare towards Merrim. "What do you want?"

Merrim continued to look surprised, but quickly recovered. "Move aside, mouse. My fight isn't with you."

Pikachu's glare only grew in intensity. "If your fight is with Ash, then it _is_ with me."

Merrim blinked for a moment, before smiling in amusement. "Oh? So, the Princess' champion has a mouse for a body guard? I didn't expect something so... ironic."

Pikachu scowled at the insult, and his glare grew more pointed. "Oh? I may be a mouse, but at least I'm not a rat with wings."

Merrim's smile only grew bigger, and he began to show his fangs. "Oh? Well, this 'rat' might be feeling a bit peckish. I think you'd hit the spot."

The electric type almost shocked the Dragon right there. "How about I take your wings, and shove them up-"

"What's going on here?"

Both Ash and Merrim froze at the voice, and Ash slowly turned around, to see Latias sitting there, looking very unamused. Judging by the looks the Lati around them were giving, this little spat was extremely noticeable. Ash didn't know what he expected. "Merrim. I have been more than patient with you over these past two years, but if you plan on harming my claimed, I will end you here and now."

Merrim winced a bit, and shook his head. "No. I did not intend to outright attack him. No, I only wished to give him something."

The young Sky-Dancer looked rather surprised, and he couldn't help but blurt out a response. "Huh? You want to give me something?"

Merrim looked back to Ash, and glared. "Yes. I want to give you a challenge."

Ash blinked in confusion, and looked to Pikachu in confusion, hoping his starter would know, but the mouse seemed as confused as he was. What did that exactly mean? Did that mean Merrim wanted him do something? Or was that a demand to fight him? Or something completely different? Because, while he honestly wished to learn how to fight in this body, a genuine fight against an experienced opponent didn't sound like the best way to figure out said skill, especially if the opponent had no intent to try and teach him. He glanced between the Lati present, and all of them, especially Latias, looked shocked. And a little bit scandalized.

Probably a fight.

"On what grounds do you wish to make the challenge?"

All the Pokemon present turned to look at the newcomer's voice, and found themselves staring at a elderly, somewhat transparent Lati. Ash couldn't help but tilt his head, and the elder Lati smiled. "Hello, Ash. I do not believe I have shown you my... not disguised form." The lati said, looking at the young male.

Ash quickly recognized the voice.

"Lorip?"

The elder Lati simply nodded. "Yes. So, what is your desire for the challenge?"

Merrim blinked, before responding. "I wish to challenge Ash for the right as the Princess' claimed."

Ash couldn't help himself, and his face managed to show a beautiful combination of confused, and furious.

However, it was not him who answered. It was Latias. "No."

The surrounding Lati all turned to the up until now silent Princess, and she continued. "That is not our way, Merrim. You know this, and we have discussed it repeatedly. Your challenge is denied." Ash blinked, and looked over to Latias. Her tone was much different from her normally icy tone she had when she was angry. He couldn't really explain it. He even thought for a second that she wasn't mad, but one look proved that thought completely false. She was leveling a heavy glare at Merrim.

Merrim shrunk slightly under the glare, but he didn't back down. But Latias repeated herself. "Merrim, your challenge is denied."

Merrim looked somewhat irritated, but his expression quickly changed. "Fine. It's your right as_ Alpha_." Merrim said, putting extra emphasis on the last word. For some reason, Ash noted, that this seemed to insult both Lorip and Latias. "Then I shall challenge you. Same grounds."

The Princess shook her head in disagreement. Those terms were far too steep, regardless of her confidence of winning. Besides, the only thing holding her to that agreement would be her honor. There was no such rule that upheld those terms. "No, Merrim. Your terms are dismissed. However, I _do_ accept your challenge."

Latias looked over at Ash, an angry expression on her face. "It seems we will be having to postpone our trip, Ash. I am truly sorry."

Ash nodded in acceptance. He wasn't happy for it, in fact, he was far from it, but he understood why they couldn't leave. This wasn't his culture, his people, or heck, even his species. He'd leave the judging of how to behave to Latias. This was her element. He gave a quick glance to the surrounding Lati, and found more than a few of them shooting Merrim angry glances. But, at the same time, a few were giving him the same treatment. He internally sighed. This was such a drag. "It's alright. Just, er, well, don't lose."

Latias actually smiled at that, and put her face into his neck, and mumbled something. "With someone like you holding faith in me, how could I fail to win?"

Latias gave one last glare at Merrim, and turned around. "I desire one moment with my claimed, before the challenge begins." Latias then grabbed Ash by the claw, and led him, and by proxy, Pikachu, away.

* * *

"Ash, I don't even think there's a word to describe how angry I am with Merrim right now. I think I'm so angry, I've gone full circle, and now I'm calm."

Ash winced a bit at Latias' angry tone, and he watched her pace slightly back and forth, before looking over at Pikachu. The electric type, to Ash's surprise, actually nodded in agreement. "I can relate. But instead of being angry with some over-glorified parakeet with Dragon-typing, I'm angry with a love struck idiot and my even dumber trainer!"

The Mouse gave a vivid glare to the pair of surprised dragons, and simply sat there. After a moment, it was Latias who broke the silence. "Either way..." She spoke, "I am sorry we are unable to get to Pallet right away. We may still be able to get there today... But that's only if I beat him quickly."

Pikachu's glare continued, but he spoke. "Good. I don't know when we decided to go to Pallet, but either way, just beat his scrawny tail so I don't have to later. Break him, crush him, make him into tasty stew, I really couldn't care right now. But, after all of this is done, me and you... There's gonna be words. Angry ones. All over. Be they here, or in Pallet."

Latias sighed, and nodded in irritation. "Fine."

The electric type then looked over to Ash. "And you. When this is over, I'm gonna break you. You thought training me was hard? Forget that, 'Cause now, I'm now your trainer. I'm gonna make you _strong_."

Ash spluttered a bit. "What!? Why?"

Pikachu shook his head. "Because, I got nothing else I can do. It's either that, or tie you to a reeeaaaallly big rock, and leave you there. And if I do that, who knows what the Love-dragon express over there will do to you. "

Latias simply raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to ignore that last bit. But, regardless of our current... conflicts," She said, looking at Pikachu, "I now have a fight to win. We have to return to the field."

Ash nodded in irritation, and Pikachu simply shrugged. "Fine. But Latias?"

The female looked at the electric type and nodded. "Yes?"

"If you do end up making stew, I want some. I'm a bit peckish."

* * *

Ash looked back from Pikachu, who was staring ahead, to Amien, who decided to sit beside him. But, he still felt slightly nervous. He never had anyone fight over him before, at least to his knowledge, and now, Latias was doing just that. In a weird, roundabout way.

But, as he watched both Lati move to either side of the field, his nerves peaked. They both seemed truly confident, Latias staring blankly ahead, almost looking bored, while Merrim was waving to random Lati in the crowd. He hoped Latias was truly as skilled as everyone said she was, or this wouldn't end well. His lack of knowledge on their skills didn't help his nerves either; he had no idea what this challenger could do, and she was exactly the same. She could be as good as any trainer's pokemon. Or, a Dragon type with a decent trick or two.

For the first time since his sudden transformation, he cursed his lack of a Pokedex. If he had that, he'd at least be able to tell what moves they both knew. If he at least knew their skill set, he could tell what type of fighting they preferred. But no. He'd have to do this the old fashioned way. Watching them fight, and guess just by how they moved and reacted.

Lorip floated in between the two challengers, and looked to the male. "Merrim, as the challenger, you are allowed to set the battle conditions, within reason."

Merrim smiled, and shook his head. "No damaging Psychic attacks. Claw against fang."

Lorip frowned at his choice of conditions, but he nodded all the same. "Very well. Is that alright, Milady?"

Latias sighed, and nodded. She should have known he would try and remove one of her greatest advantages. "Yes." Admittedly, if he didn't, he would have never stood a chance.

Lorip nodded, and backed away from the center. Latias gave one last look to Ash, and gave him a sincere smile. "Don't worry, Ash. I'll win this, I promise."

Ash gave her a hesitant nod, and she looked back forward. She had a reason to win, but she now had the perfect opportunity to show off in front of Ash. She wouldn't let it go to waste.

Lorip looked between the two from the side, and nodded. "Are both challengers ready?" Both Lati nodded.

"Very well. Begin!"

* * *

Almost in the instant Lorip gave the signal, Merrim was the one who made the first move. He shot forward with terrifying speed, and, rather than try and form a formal attack, simply swung a claw at Latias' face. Latias barely had time to duck under the swing, and cursed her poor reaction time. She needed to impress Ash, not show how she couldn't properly dodge a simple attack. She quickly raised her own arm, and knocked Merrim off balance, and quickly gave him an elbow to his gut, followed by a backhand, knocking him back.

She then tried to take the initiative, and swung her claws upward towards his face, but he quickly leaned back and dodged, shooting backward. This fight was going to be tough. And it didn't help that she was never one for physical fights.

She sat there for a short second, waiting for a counter attack, but when none came, she decided to make a dragon claw, and immediately surged energy into her claw and shot forward. But, instead of soft flesh, she found her attack was met with a fire-coated claw. She grimaced, and made to disconnect, but before she could get far, Merrim shot his head forward and headbutted her directly in the face. She winced, and shot backwards, trying to back out of his range. He didn't follow, and instead gave her an amused grin. "First blood."

She put a claw up to her head, and sure enough, her nose was bleeding, if ever so slightly. Damn. She gave a cold glare at Merrim, and shook her head in irritation. "It matters not."

* * *

Ash grimaced, and clenched his claws in anger at the sight of Latias' blood. The entire situation bothered him, from the fact that Latias was fighting for something so stupid, to her getting hurt by someone who reeked of arrogance. But he couldn't do anything.

He glanced over to his starter, who noticed him looking over to him. "That was a good, solid strike, huh, Ash?" The electric type asked. Ash winced at the tone his starter held; he was apparently still angry at both of them.

Ash nodded begrudgingly, and sighed. It was a good hit, but he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming desire to go out there, and pummel Merrim within an inch of his life. It wasn't a new feeling, but the reason he felt it was.

This wasn't a balanced fight. She was grace and precision, but he was strength and determination. And even though her style was better, the male obviously had a considerably larger amount of experience. Every dodge was reflexive, every strike practiced.

Latias, on the other hand, didn't have that benefit. Her blows may have been guided by a sharp, keen eye and mind, but they looked new, unused. She knew the style like how one knew the knowledge of a book. In theory. And while she was doing amazingly for someone who never used the attacks and methods, prodigious skill didn't help when going up against someone who genuinely knew what he was doing.

The battle was only just starting, but Ash already felt as if he knew who would win. And he didn't like that one bit. He just hoped that he was wrong.

* * *

Latias couldn't help but feel angry. No, furious. She was floundering, badly, in front of both Ash and Pikachu. She quickly shot forward again, and shot her left arm forward in a feint. Merrim took the bait, and she caught his block with her right, and spun him, throwing him into the dirt a few feet away. He almost immediately rose, and shot forward, back toward her. He swung his arm in a hammer blow, and she reflexively brought both arms up to counter. She barely managed to catch it, but before she could celebrate her victory, he cut her short with a vicious fist to her gut. She coughed, her breath taken from her, and tried to awkwardly shoot to the side to avoid a second blow. She failed, and was sent back several feet, sliding on her side.

She bounced back into the air, and took one second to regain her breath and look over to Ash. His expression screamed worry and concern, and Pikachu sat beside him, his expression stony. She wanted nothing more than to tell Ash she would be alright, but first, she needed to win, and that last blow got her good. She had no clue how many of those she could take.

She was torn from her thoughts when Merrim shot forward again, and again covering his claw in flames. She desperately ducked, and instead of receiving a face full of fire, felt a searing pain down her right side as the attack left three long gouges on her ribs. But, before he could pull back, she ignored the pain in her side, and instead swung her own claws, catching the male on the side of his face.

* * *

Pikachu couldn't help himself, and winced in sympathy. Sure, he was angry with her. No, he was livid with her. She literally went and made Ash, his trainer, _hers_, with not even a second's thought. However, he still sympathized. Burning wounds like that stung, and would continue to do so for several days, regardless of a visit to the pokemon center. Sure, her retaliation was solid, and made good of his overextension, but in the end, while his probably hurt and might even scar, she'd feel hers for the next couple weeks, regardless of treatment. And it _will_ scar. Fire attacks sucked like that.

Pikachu wasn't made of stone. He knew the fight she was going through, the desperate desire to prove herself to Ash. She wanted him to be proud of her, to smile, and give her affection. He himself felt that pressure every time they went into a pokemon battle, even though he knew that Ash would accept him and care little if he lost. But the desire never went away.

But, even though he understood her feelings and urges, that didn't mean he approved. She was selfish, greedy, and impatient. Just another young pokemon with hearts in her eyes, seeing only the conquest for the one she thought was the best match for her. And, maybe, Ash really was her perfect match. But, on the side, she may have completely ruined it, simply by rushing forward. Only fools rush into a relationship, especially a monogamous one, and she has proven herself a massive fool.

Pikachu glanced over to Ash, and sighed. His trainer was far too soft hearted. Pikachu knew that, if Latias asked, he would most likely agree. And, maybe she'd work it out, and it'd really be a smart match. But Pikachu didn't work in maybes, especially for his trainer. It was Ash's job to guide his pokemon, to train them and nurture them to their potential. But Pikachu had long since reached his. Now, it was Pikachu's job to protect and nurture Ash. And this female, well, she was his direct opposition.

She was now a threat.

* * *

Latias felt her claws dig into the side of the male's face, and she left three long and angry cuts on his cheek. She quickly teleported ten feet backward right afterward, and smiled. She wouldn't make his mistake, and remain in range of retaliation. The male still swung upward in a reflexive attempt to retaliate, and her smile grew. That probably hurt.

Merrim raised a claw up to his face, and gave her an angry glare. "Lucky shot."

Latias said nothing, and her previous smile died as she gritted her teeth in irritation. He was tough. Admittedly, much tougher than her. And she needed to win, not do well, and while she was trading solid blows with him, and maybe, just maybe, slightly ahead in terms of damage dealt, the fact remained that he could take her attacks for a while longer.

But the same couldn't be said about her. Her strength was already beginning to wane.

Merrim rushed forward to her, and she quickly ducked again, anticipating another blow to her head. But instead of dodging the attack, she found a fist planted firmly into her lower jaw, and she held back a cry of pain as her head bucked back. She felt her lip split painfully as she flew backward onto the ground, and slid several feet.

She couldn't help but sit there, dazed for a moment, but she quickly recovered, and raised back up, just in time to receive a second blow, this time to the side of her face. She held back another cry, and instead shot to the side.

* * *

Ash almost rushed forward at the sight of Latias being stuck about so easily, regardless of his "trainer's instincts." It took all of his self control for his to stay in place, but he knew that it would run out soon. This battle wasn't like one in a league match, with measured, trained, and practiced moves, made to stun and debilitate, instead of main and kill. This was vicious, visceral, and violent. When a league match got too much, Pokemon got reigned in. But here, they just escalated.

"Ash. Be at ease."

Ash nearly jumped at the voice, and was torn from his thoughts, and looked over to his left. Amien was staring at him frigidly, but the beginnings of concern were forming in his eyes. "Huh?"

The older Lati's face remained stony, but he gave a nod in acknowledgement. "As I said, do not worry. This fight, in the long run, matters little."

Ash gave him a look, and frowned. This fight didn't seem to matter little. He prepared to respond, but Pikachu beat him to it. "What do you mean?"

Amien looked at the electric type, and gave his response. "This is not a battle for dominance. It is well known that the Princess' strengths lay in her psychic abilities, not her physical ones. If this battle was a serious one, Merrim wouldn't have stood a chance from the beginning. As such, if she loses, she will have lost nothing but personal pride, and some minor physical wounds."

He looked over to Ash, and stared at him. "She will have lost no formal status."

Ash frowned, and shook his head. Since when was that what mattered? "I don't care about status! She's out there, fighting a fight and getting hurt for a dumb reason!"

Amien stared at the male for a second, before smiling lightly. Now he could see why the Princess cared for this male so much."To her, she fights for you. And, to her, that is a _very_ good reason."

He then looked over to Pikachu. "You have a question?"

Pikachu nodded. Dragon was sharp. "Yeah. Why does That Merrim guy still fight then?"

Amien shrugged. "Merrim is one that follows his heart and his pride. He originally wanted to prove him better than the one who bested him in the one thing he could never accomplish. He, like a great many of our kind, is proud. But now, he only continues to prove himself to the princess. He is most likely fighting at his absolute best right now."

"Why?"

Amien chuckled, and it was a dry, throaty thing. "Because, in his mind, it's his last chance. He believes that if he can prove himself to be the Princess' equal in some way, he can win her heart. We both know that's not how it works, but since when has the heart been a logical thing?"

Then, the elder Lati looked over to the ensuing battle. "He'll use all his moves today, every skill, every dirty little trick he knows to improve his odds. So, pay attention. Whether you fight him later or not doesn't matter, as he is, in fact, skilled. You two may have been raised by Pokemon trainers, but you'll still most likely learn something, if you pay attention, even if it's only something about our culture."

* * *

Latias shot backwards to avoid another heavy strike, and made a mental tally. She had several bruises, a split lip, and possibly a concussion. And he had... A cut on his face. It was right then that she realized that unless something intervened, or she got a lucky shot, she was going to lose. In front of Ash. In front of everyone. That was unacceptable.

She growled angrily, and glared at Merrim. He had always been a blunt instrument, but right now, he was one that was clearly smacking her around. She was precision. If she could use psychic...

And then, the realization came forward. She could use some of her psychic techniques. Just not offensively. She quickly thought of a plan, and shot forward. If she could just make a simple illusion... There.

It was simple, and it was basically just an after image, but it made her attack seemed slower than it was. She then wreathed her claws in shadow and swung for his face, and, to her surprise, he didn't react fast enough, and she got a very solid hit in. She felt his head arch back, and he tumbled a bit. But, almost as fast as he fell, he raised back up.

She grimaced. He was tough, not many could take a super effective attack to the face and just bounce right back. And, just like every other time she hit him, he shot forward, and gave her a vicious blow to her left arm. But, instead of a normal rush of pain, her arm felt... numb. He used a thunder punch. She felt prickles in her semi-limp arm, and scowled, glaring at the male.

She swung her one good claw at the male, and growled angrily when he blocked it with ease. "I expected more, Princess."

She glared in response, and shot backward, barely dodging a dragonbreath. She pondered trying another illusion, but if he caught wind of it, it'd ruin what chances she had left. And what was worse, She was quickly losing strength, and now she was down an arm. She needed something that would end this, but anything she knew that could, was a psychic attack.

And, like a jolt of, ironically, electricity, an idea rushed through. She pondered it for but a second, before grinning. At this moment, it was either go big, or go home.

* * *

Pikachu watched as Latias got the ever living crap beat out of her. He felt sympathy for her no more than ever. At the beginning, it was pretty much a tit for tat, and while she hit hard, Merrim could take it.

But now, she was tired. No, she was exhausted, only staying conscious out of a desire to prove to Ash she could win. If Pikachu had a berry for every time he had done that...

But if Pikachu felt bad, Ash obviously felt worse. His trainer was on the edge of his metaphorical seat, with both Lorip and Amien ready to restrain him if he tried to jump into the fray, and while Pikachu wished he had words to console his trainer, he really didn't have any. This was a fight she was destined to lose, it seemed, and while, as Amien said, she'd lose nothing, it seemed that Ash would be the one footing the bill.

The electric type quickly winced as he watched Merrim give a very painful looking strike to Latias' face. She simply sat there for a moment, before struggling to raise back up. But Merrim wouldn't have any of it. He hit her again, and, once she hit the ground, grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up.

And, to Pikachu's annoyance, began monologuing. He'd heard enough of that over the years. "You really did better than I expected, Princess. But remember what I said to you when we first met?"

All he was met with was a glare. "I remember. I believe I said that you were just a little girl, playing Princess. But now, I take that back."

He then lifted her closer to his face, smiling. "No, I will admit I was wrong. You truly earned the title of Princess. You always manage to impress me. A psychic user, yet, nearly my equal in a physical fight, your weakest area. I have been beaten many times, but never have I been so nearly matched by someone half my age. In all of my fifty years, I've never been this close to losing to someone half my age. No, you truly are a Princess of the Lati."

Internally, Merrim was ecstatic. He won. He had proven himself equal to the princess, at least in some fashion. "My offer still stands, you know. I could truly be the one to love you. I am strong, and I have experience as a leader. Together with me, you could become more than just a princess. You could become a Lati Queen."

He smiled, and looked over to Ash, who was frozen in place, looking surprised, no, _shocked_. He then looked back, back to The Lati in his claws. He knew the princess, more than any outsider. She respected strength. She was cold, meticulous, pragmatic. He had little doubt that the male she chose was strong, but all he'd have to do is prove himself stronger. She was so much alike a Feral. She'd choose who had proven themselves to her, and now, he finally had done just that. Now, he was the strongest, and now, he'd get the small, strong, _brilliant_ female. She wasn't his previous choice, but she was so close, so alike, that maybe, it'd be the same. "I could even claim you, right here, in front of everyone. In front of the Sky-Dancer. I could make you mine right here, and he'd be unable to do anything about it."

Latias sat there, her expression blank, and he smiled. She was actually considering it. He was right. He spared a glance over to the male again, and he looked absolutely furious. The outsider was actually being held back by Lorip and Amien. "Well?"

And, it was then, that he heard clapping coming from behind him. He felt a small pang of confusion, and his expression faltered a bit. Who would be clapping, right now? He knew what he said wouldn't be popular to the non-ferals of herd, but he didn't think anyone would honestly clap. He looked over to Ash, but his expression had changed into a frozen bewilderment.

And he was staring behind him. In fact, everyone was. Every single one of them looked either in shock, or in awe.

"I shall say this. You aren't really all that observant."

Merrim blinked, before looking down to Latias, who he still he held in his claws. She smiled viciously, and winked, before disappearing completely, as if made of smoke. He stared at his claws for a second, before turning completely around.

And there, sitting there and looking amused, was the princess. "Wha, how-"

Latias just shook her head, and sighed. "So simple minded... It was an illusion. The whole battle. I have been sitting here, the whole time, just watching you make an ass of yourself."

Merrim sputtered a bit, before his head jerked viciously to the side. He flew several feet, and tumbled a bit, before slowly rising. "Wha..?"

There, sitting where he was previously, was another Latias. "I recall you saying that I couldn't use Psychic attacks that _cause_ damage... But illusions, they don't cause damage, do they?"

She was sitting there, absentmindedly picking at her claws, but before he could move to her, another blow struck him upside the head. "You know..." She spoke, this time from right behind him, "If you keep looking at where I was, you'll never find where I'm actually at."

She then hit him upside the head with a third shadow claw, this time again opposite from where the "Latias" stood. He didn't even react until the claw hit the side of his head, and he flew sideways. Latias sighed, and looked over to Lorip, who sat there, looking very impressed. "Do we need to continue this?" She looked over to Ash, who looked very relieved and almost excited, and to Pikachu who looked... in thought.

However, before she could feel pride at Ash's interest, she felt her already drained energy reserves shrink to almost nothing. She really needed to end this. Right now.

Lorip looked over to Merrim, and back to her. "Sorry Milady, but you have to finish him. It's either surrender, or knockout."

Latias groaned internally. Damn courtesy.

She hoped she had enough for one last shadow claw. She dipped back into her illusion, and sent a clone towards Merrim's still grounded body. With her distraction in place, she pushed energy into her feathers, and let the light bend around her.

One attack was all it would take.

She moved forward with everything she had left, and her shadow claw met flesh.

* * *

"The winner is the Princess!"

Latias barely managed to look over to Lorip, but once his words reached her ears, she couldn't help but smile. She did it. She won.

But regardless of her elation, she still needed to get out of here, before the illusion hiding her injuries disappeared. She wanted this victory to remain "Flawless." So, she quickly scanned the now very mobile crowd for Ash, and once she spotted him, rushed over to his side and leaned heavily on it under the guise of physical affection. She was exhausted, and the illusion wouldn't last much longer. But as she met Ash's face, she smiled. He looked very relieved, and happy with her.

"You did very good. I thought... well... It doesn't matter. You won without a single scratch. You're awesome."

Latias gave an outward smile, but grimaced internally. Ash was gonna flip out completely when they got to the grove. Latias sighed, and decided to simply bite the bullet. "I want to go to my grove. To, er, celebrate."

Ash blinked twice, before blushing brightly, apparently trying to imagine what the celebration would involve. Latias actually had to hold back a groan out of irritation, he barely noticed an intentionally suggestive joke, but he spotted a accidental innuendo immediately.

But, after a second of contemplating, Ash nodded. "Ok. So, er, like... right now?"

Latias sighed out of relief. Ash caught on. She glanced over to Amien, who simply nodded. "Yes, please. I have things I wish to discuss with you."

Ash shrugged, and nodded. "Ok. Er... Pikachu?"

Latias sighed, and shook her head in irritation. She forgot about that yellow menace. "Yes, he can come." She then happily leaned on Ash as they made their way back to the grove, slowly moving through the crowd, who parted respectively.

"Ash. I told you I'd win."

* * *

The first thing that made Ash notice that something was wrong on the way back was the blood on his claws. Now, normally, he'd be freaked out, but seeing how badly she beat Merrim, He'd be more surprised if there wasn't any.

Which raised an excellent question. Where did the blood come from? She was immaculate. In fact, she was far too clean, regardless of how well she won. Even Pikachu winning within a single strike still managed to at least mess up his fur, or at least get slightly dusty. She actually looked better than she did before she started the fight.

The second thing that concerned him was how much she was leaning on him. So far, all she'd done has been floating nearby, but now she staunchly refused to remove herself from his shoulder. She was being extremely clingy, which was weird.

And, the third thing wasn't actually a sign from her. No, the third thing was from Pikachu. He was being suspiciously quiet. He either knew something, or at least suspected.

So, when they got to the grove, and Latias collapsed, he wasn't completely taken off guard when numerous injuries suddenly appeared on her body. No, instead, he was prepared, and instead was very unhappy. "Latias!"

He didn't really needed to go far, seeing as she was nearly attached to him before she collapsed, and he quickly looked over her body. There weren't many obvious injuries besides a split lip and a long gash along her side, but she still collapsed. Latias sighed, and simply sat there, face down on the ground.

"'mmm fine."

Ash stopped his exam, and frowned, giving Latias an angry glare. "You aren't fine."

Latias grumbled, and looked blearily up at him. "I'm fine. Just... really tired. Mass illusions like that are exhausting work."

Ash frowned further, and shook his head. He hated lies, and she just pulled off a really big one.

Pikachu, on the other hand, looked irritated at the very concept of illusions. "Great, it's just like the Zoroark adventure all over again."

Latias simply sat there in silence, and, after a moment, looked tiredly up at Ash. "Ash?"

The male scowled, but looked down at her regardless. She needed his help, regardless of his anger toward her. "Yeah?"

She sighed unhappily. Ash looked pretty angry. She knew that, once he found out, he'd be angry. "I know you're mad at me, but..."

She needed to reassure that their claim still stood. That was paramount. "Ash... Are you disappointed in me?"

Ash sat there for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah. Kinda. I don't know." He ran a claw through his feathers. "You tricked everyone. And me. I thought you won so easily, but instead, you won-"

"By the skin of my teeth. I know." Latias sighed. "I just wanted to make you proud."

Ash winced a bit at that, and the pair sat in silence for several moments. But, after a while, Latias broke the quiet.

"Ash?"

Ash stared at her, his face still sporting a frown. "Yeah?"

She winced at his unhappy tone. "I know it's asking a lot... but, well... I want to go to sleep. And..."

Ash blinked, and looked confused. She sighed, and shook her head. "Would you join me?"

Ash was unmoved. "Please?"

The young male scowled a bit, and made a move to get up, but Latias stopped him with a claw on his shoulder. "Ash... I'm sorry."

She sighed. She hadn't really apologized in quite some time. It wasn't a princessey thing to do. She waited for the male to respond, and he did. He got up, and shook his head. "Maybe later. Just... go to sleep."

Latias sighed unhappily, and nodded. Maybe she'd still have a claim when she woke up.

And so, she closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

* * *

**A/N And there's the chapter! You have no idea how hard this chapter was to write. And what was worse, Merrim both seemed to be both too terrible, and too intimate with Latias. Her angry descriptions of Merrim kept seeming like she was just a jilted ex-lover, rather then a female irritated with a guy that never seemed to get the hint, who just happened to be arrogant. **

**I swear, they never once did anything!**

**And, Merrim isn't supposed to be horrible. A Jerk, sure. But he's still actually a good guy. He's good, but not nice. I swear, this actually happens. Just, er, give him a bit before he figures it out. **

**So, as I said before, feel free to rip this chapter a new one. I personally hate it, and hope it dies in a fire. Xp**

**Next up, the next two to three chapters are gonna be short-ish. The next one is basically all of the characters who will be staring at some point in the story, and the one after that makes Pikachu's and Latias' conflict more clear. And the scene after, well, that's just gonna be a short little fluff bit, to break it and the following chapters up. **

**I have this thing planned out, I promise. **

**And lastly, one important caviar, kitties.**

**We have an important choice to make. **

**You see, Act one is, in reference to the important plot points and events, is almost over. However, there is several small scenes that are still needed to be done. However, I hesitate to add them to act one, mainly because it's been drawn out long enough. I mean, 100k words, and we've gotten basically no where beyond plot contrived Altomare, with the sole exception being butt-loads of exposition. And while that's good, it's not great.**

**But, either by design, (It's by design. No, seriously) or by luck, the scenes in question are very fluid, and I can add them to the next act, without a lick of trouble. But, if I do, the setting, methods, and hell, even the characters who play in them will all be changed in some way.**

**So, what do you guys want? I can move onward with the plot, and just add those scenes to the next act, or I can finish act one right. I'll leave it to a vote. You guys have the power.**

**Well, I really do hope you enjoyed the chapter! And if you didn't, you have the power to crush it like the worm it is! **


	18. Repercussions

**A/N *Looks back at previous chapters***

**Huh... It seems I've slowed down how often I update. **

**Maybe I should do something about that...**

**So, you probably have noticed that I changed the rating to T. I did this, mainly because... well, this story many be less dark than I thought. I rated this M so I could use heavy swearing, if I needed to, but... I found that I have no real intent for that now. A single well placed swear seems more my style, so, I lowered the rating. If, for any reason, I end up having to raise the rating back up to M, You can all chastise me. I'd deserve it. **

**So, A Hearty thanks to my Beta, Syrup-Waffle!**

**And I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"Hey, Trace. What's up?"

The male in question quickly turned around, and, in a surprise move, gave a huffy glare. Now, Gary Oak wasn't one to be perturbed by other's reactions, but he couldn't help but find himself surprised by the glare he was getting. He hadn't even done anything yet! "Where have you been?!"

Gary frowned, and shrugged a bit. Not home three minutes, and it was already time for the third degree. "Well... Let's see... I just got back from Sinnoh, so... on a plane?"

Tracy shook his head in irritation, and ran a hand through his hair, making Gary raise an eyebrow. "Well, while you've been travelling, I've been calling you. Do you even answer your Poke-gear?"

Gary blinked, and thought about it. "Well, as I said, plane. Kinda not allowed to use phones and stuff on those... So, er, whatcha need that's so important?"

Tracy sighed, and rubbed a hand on his forehead in exasperation. "Ash is missing."

Gary froze for a second, before frowning. Ash was missing? ''How did the boy- And... why am I hearing about this right now?"

Tracy glared a bit more, and shook his head. "I called you! And you never answered your Pokegear!"

Gary quickly reached into his pocket, and after glaring a bit at Tracy, pulled out the mentioned device. He quickly turned it on, and started flipping through it. "So..." Gary said grumpily, "How are Ash's pokemon taking the news?"

"They... well, they're taking it badly. If Bulbasaur and Infernape weren't here, I'd say they'd be rioting. Or would have run off to look for him themselves."

Gary shook his head in irritation, and stopped fiddling with his Pokegear to pull out a Pokeball. "Umbreon!"

The aforementioned pokemon emerged, and looked up at her trainer. "I really need you to go help Ash's Bulbasaur. Ash is missing, and they probably need an extra mediator. Or muscle, to remind them where they are. Just... keep them from destroying the ranch."

The pokemon looked up at its trainer for a moment, before nodding, and silently leaving the room. Gary then poked at his Pokegear a bit more, and sighed. "And where's gramps? He'd usually be in the center of this."

"He left with Delia, to somewhere called Cameran. He just... got up, and left me in charge. Said something about a favor, but I doubt it'll find Ash, at least right away, and even if it did, it'll still be a bit before they get there, at least a week. It's a long trip; there aren't many roads that go there."

Gary sighed, and poked another button. "Well, good for him. Gramps has something in mind, but... so... do... I... Ah! There he is."

Tracy blinked, before giving Gary a look. "Er... What are you doing?"

The fledgling pokemon researcher smiled, and pressed another button. "Well... I have a good amount of phone numbers, and there are some that are pretty good at finding lost trainers. And, I just so happen to have the phone number for a Professor... Juniper? Never met the guy, but Gramps gave it to me. I have him listed as the Unova Professor."

Gary then smiled, and pressed the call button, and grinned a bit as it started to ring. "So, let's just get a hold of this Juniper guy, and we'll see if he knows where Ashy boy is. After all, he was the one who gave him the new Pokedex, and they can be tracked. We'll at least find out where he _was._"

* * *

Iris groaned a bit as she rolled over to her side, and got free from Cilan's outstretched arm. That wasn't one of her more peaceful nights, and it turned out that Cilan liked to cuddle during the night. Add her nightmares, and she didn't have a good night.

She glanced over to her bunkmate, and sighed. Apparently, her movement roused him, and he blearily blinked at her. "Thank you again, for letting me share your bed..."

Cilan blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes, and gave her a sad smile. "It's fine. After all, what are friends for? I couldn't just let you... Yeah."

He stared at her for one last moment, before sighing himself. "Do you really have to go back home already?"

Iris nodded, her already short temper spiking, but she quickly drowned it, and gave an answer. He didn't want to avenge Ash. Wanted to uphold his beliefs, maybe, but avenge? No. "Yes. I need to stop that dragon, and... I'm not strong enough." She grimaced, and clenched her fists angrily. "So, I'll need the Dragon masters' help to do it."

Cilan nodded sadly, and frowned. It was clear she wanted revenge. He just hoped she didn't go too far with it. "Ok. You got my number, right?"

Iris nodded, and stood up. She grabbed her day shirt from the ground beside the bed, and pulled it on. "Yeah. So... I gotta make a call. I'll be right back."

She then pulled her pants on, and sighed. Hopefully, she'd manage a way to get some real sleep soon. She was getting sick of her nightmares. She finished a rough facade of how she normally looked, and went downstairs to the Pokemon center lobby. It was pretty empty, besides a couple early bird trainers sitting at the nearby tables, eating breakfast. She quickly made her way over to the nearest phone, and dialed a number. The phone rang a couple times, before a man answered. "Hello...? It's five in the mornin'... What do ya need?"

Iris sighed, before smiling weakly. "Hello... dad."

The man quickly woke up a bit, and returned the smile, albeit sleepily. "Oh, well... Hello, little-scale. Whatcha callin' for?"

Iris' already weak smile faltered a bit, and she sighed. "I'm... I'm calling on dragon trainer business."

The man woke up a bit more, and nodded. "Alright, alright. What is it about?"

"I need to ask for a Dragon-slaying."

Her father blinked a couple times in surprise, before frowning. "That is a big request. Why, may I ask?"

Iris fought to keep her expression neutral, and sighed. "One of my companions was killed by a rogue dragon. Tried to kill me as well."

The older male sighed sadly, and nodded. "I am sorry, little-scale. I will tell the elders; and you just come home. We'll discuss it when you arrive."

The young trainer frowned, and gave a reply. "Why can't you just declare it? You're an elder."

"Because, Iris, you can't just discuss something this serious over the phone. There's a right, and a wrong way, and we have rules. I'll send Salamence over to pick you up. Where are you?"

Iris sighed. "I'm at Lacunosa. I can get home on Dragonite, I don't need a ride."

The elder male shook his head. "Salamence is faster, and I know he'll fly you here safe, without deciding to just drop you off for being too much trouble. I'm sending Salamence."

The female frowned a bit, before nodding. "Alright..."

"Bye, little scale."

"Bye, daddy."

Her father quickly hung up, and she sighed in irritation. She was hoping it'd be quick, and that she didn't have to leave. She looked away from the phone, and found a man staring at her. She blinked in irritation, and the man frowned, and stood up. He walked closer, and Iris glared at him. He stopped a few feet away, and looked her in the eye.

"I heard about your accident, and I wanted to offer ya my condolences, and such."

Iris blinked, before nodding. "Oh, er... thank you... Mister?"

The man smiled sadly, and turned back to his table. "Can I offer you some breakfast? My treat."

Iris opened her mouth to refuse, but, after a moment, she decided against it, and nodded. She was just about to get some food anyway. The man walked back to his table, and sat down. "Well, I have to ask," He said casually, looking back down at his plate, "but, are you a Dragon Master?"

Iris blinked a bit, before shaking her head in refusal. "No... I want to be one, though. I'm just a trainer."

The man nodded, and gave her a comforting smile. "So, er, this is awkward, but I overheard your problem. I am willing to offer some help, as it were. If you need it."

Iris looked slightly insulted, but she schooled her face back to one of neutrality. "I don't need your help."

The man nodded slowly, and sighed. "I get ya. It was just an offer. But, if you change your mind, you can call. It's not my phone number, but it's my boss'. He's pretty cool, he'll help you out, if you end up needing it."

He offered her a card, and she hesitantly took it, and read the front. "... You work for a Pokemon relocation company?"

The man nodded, and smiled. "Yeah. We either relocate pokemon who are dangerous to humans, or... well, kill them, if they are big enough of a danger to others. It's a humane death, I promise. But, even then, we just move them. It's a different part of the company that does that. "

The Dragon trainer blinked, and looked back at the male. "Er, so... You'd hunt down that Latios?"

The man blinked in surprise. "A Latios killed your friend? Well, we would, I guess. That's our job."

She looked down at the card, sighed. "Well, thank you for the offer..."

The man waved his hand. "No prob."

Iris smiled, and looked back down at the lime green print on the card. It was always good to have a backup plan.

* * *

"Yeah! He was sooooo cool! And strong! He was really strong looking! I bet he beat up all of those other pokemon, before dad even got there!"

May sighed in exasperation, before nodding again. Her little brother never seemed to shut up, especially when he saw some new pokemon. "That's cool and all, Max, but, why did you call me for this?"

Max blinked a couple times, before smiling and scratching the back of his head. "Well... It was really cool. Oh, and the Latios was Ash's. I told you he was cool."

The young Coordinator blinked, before shaking her head in both amusement and exasperation. Of course Ash would end up with a legendary. If anyone deserved one, and would have earned the respect of one, it would be Ash. "I never said he wasn't. And, ya know, Max, that would've been nice to know at the beginning."

The young boy smiled, and pushed his glasses up his nose a bit further. "Oh? Did you want to know who it was because you liiiike him?"

May blinked in confusion, and frowned. "Like who? The Latios? I kinda doubt he's my type, Max."

The young boy rolled his eyes, and shook his head. "I wasn't talking about the Pokemon... No! Ash!"

May blushed ever so slightly, but shook her head. "No! I just... You make no sense!"

The young boy laughed happily, before grinning gleefully at his sister "I make perfect sense! Ash has a Latios now, and because of that, you love him!"

May put her hand up to her face, and sighed in exasperation."Is there anything else you left out, Max?"

"Well... Pikachu was there, with the Latios. He said hi, and all."

The female blinked in surprise, before frowning in thought. "Why would Pikachu be with Ash's Latios, instead of him?"

"Dad said that it was because Latios are hunted and all, and Ash wanted to make sure that his Latios got to that one city... Er, what is it called, again?"

May rolled her eyes, and sighed. Her brother was such a headache. "You gotta be more specific, Max."

The young boy frowned, and put a hand up to his mouth in a mock thinking pose. "Well... It's the one with the Latios and Latias reserve... the island where interpol has their headquarters?"

"Er..." May mumbled, trying to recall the city. She could see it in her mind, but the name eluded her. She thought for one last moment, before sighing. She couldn't remember. "I got nothing."

Max sighed, and nodded. "Well, that's where they went. Dad even gave them directions."

May nodded, before sighing. "Well, anything else, Max?"

Max sat there for a moment, before shrugging. "Nah. That's it."

May smiled a bit, before rolling her eyes. Max never seemed to change. "Well, I gotta go. My last contest is later today, and I gotta go get ready. Talk to ya later."

Max nodded, and May hung up the phone. "Well, that was-"

*BZZZZZZT*

May blinked, before looking down at her pocket. Her pokegear?

*BZZZZZZT*

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. It better not be Max again. She hadn't even left the video phone yet. She pulled it out her pocket, and answered. "Hello? Max, if that's you-"

"It's me, Brock."

May blinked, and couldn't help but smile a bit. "Oh, hey, Brock. I haven't talked to you in forever..."

She looked over to a nearby clock, before wincing. It was getting close to her contest. "I don't mean to seem rude, but my contest is soon, so..."

"Sorry, May. But it's kinda important..."

May blinked, before sighing. Brock wasn't one to exaggerate. "Alright, alright. What do you need?"

The line went silent for a moment, before Brock spoke back up. "Well... How do I say this? Tracy called me a couple hours ago. He said that Ash was missing."

May froze for a second. Ash was missing? How? "What!?"

Brock didn't respond immediately, before sighing. "Yeah. I was making sure to tell you, and... I was hoping that you had any idea where he was. Maybe a phone call, or a text, or, heck, an email? I know he doesn't use those, really... but... I was hoping you had an idea."

May shook her head in anger. No, she didn't have any idea, beyond what everyone else knew, him being in Unova. "No, Brock, I don't know. Last call I got was two weeks ago, and..."

Suddenly, her conversation with Max came to the forefront of her mind. "Wait. Max said Ash's Pikachu was with a Latios, and they were going to... That one city in Johto... Er... Dang it, what's the name... It's an island. It's now a Latios reserve, or something."

Brock was quick on the reply. "Altomare?"

May nodded quickly, and responded. "Yeah! Altomare! That's the name. Ash apparently caught a Latios, and it and Pikachu went there."

She sat there for a moment, before sighing. She was already in Johto, and if anyone would know where Ash was, it would be Pikachu. She sighed in worry, and spoke back into the phone. "So... no one can get a hold of Ash?"

The phone didn't hold a response for a moment, before Brock answered. "No. I even called the Pokemon Professor for the region. She can't find his Pokedex on the Radar. It's possible he just forgot to charge it, but... Tracey wouldn't just tell me Ash was missing, without some sort of evidence, although Oak apparently didn't tell him much. He's actually missing, May. Even Professor Oak is looking for him. He wouldn't do that, unless he really was missing."

May frowned, and nodded. "Alright. Well, I'm gonna go to Altomare. I'll see if either Pikachu or Ash's new Latios know where he is."

Brock was silent for a moment, and May heard a sigh over the line. "Alright. I'm gonna try and get a hold of Misty, and see if she'll join me in going to Unova. Me and her can look for Ash there, and the last thing I heard was him going to a town called Lacunosa for a gym battle. Can you see if you can get a hold of Dawn? She hasn't answered my calls, and she might know where Ash is. She might even be in Unova, for all I know."

May nodded vigorously, and was quick on her reply. "Alright. So, I'm going over to Altomare, and you're gonna go to Unova. Is there anyone else?"

The line went silent for a moment, before Brock replied. "I guess, a lot of the gym leaders from... well, everywhere can keep an eye out. And Scott, from the battle frontier. And Lance. I'll see if I can call some of them, but right now, just go to Altomare. The sooner we find Pikachu, the faster we might find Ash. If you can't get a hold of me, just text me, or something, and I'll reply when I can."

May frowned unhappily, and clenched her fist. "Alright."

She then sighed in irritation, and shook her head. "Before you go, Brock, do you know how Ash's mom is doing?"

Brock sighed, and frowned. "She apparently went somewhere with Professor Oak to find something to help find Ash, if Tracey is to be believed. He said that she even brought her pokemon with her. I didn't even know she had pokemon, other than Mr. Mime."

May sighed. Even his mom thought this was serious, and not one of Ash's little adventures. It was reassuring, really. "Alright. So, I'm gonna go to Altomare, and you and Misty will go to Unova? If I get a hold of Dawn, what should I tell her?"

Brock was silent for a moment, before replying. "Tell her Ash is missing, and... If you can, have her join you. Pikachu would never leave Ash without a very good reason. Ash could be in a lot of trouble. More than he normally is in, anyway."

"Alright. Are... Are we really gonna do this? What if Ash is just out of Cell service, or something?"

Brock sighed, and his response came after. "Yeah... Yeah, we are. I know it's really sudden, but Ash, well... Ash isn't one to just make us worry like this. Sure, he gets in more trouble than anyone I know... But still, he always pulls through in the end. He's always helped us when we fell... Now's the time to return the favor."

The girl sighed unhappily, and nodded. "Alright. But, if he's fine, I'm gonna throttle him for making us worry."

May swore she could hear the smile Brock had over the phone. "I know. Heck, I'll even help you. So, Er... You go to Altomare, and I'll get Misty."

May nodded, before a thought ran through her head. "So, I'm gonna call Max back first, just to make sure that was really Pikachu, and not some stupid story before I go. I'll call you if it is, otherwise, I'll head straight to Altomare."

Brock gave a murmur of agreement, before hanging up quickly. May sighed, before dialing her house number. It rang a couple times, before answering. "Hello?"

May immediately recognized the voice; it was her mother. "Hi Mom, I need to talk to Max really quick, it's really important."

"Oh, er, Alright dear, one second."

May waited for half a minute, before the Pokegear's speaker made some shuffling noises. A couple seconds later, a voice came back. "May? Whatcha need? I thought you said that you needed to get ready for the contest?"

May just frowned further, before replying. "Max! Are you sure that the Pikachu with that Latios was Ash's?"

Max didn't respond immediately. "Er... Yeah. I'm sure. Why?"

May sighed. "Are you really, really sure?"

"Yes! I'm sure, May! Why?"

May grumbled, and put her head back up to her Pokegear. "Ash's missing, or something. I gotta go."

"No, wait, wh-"

May hung up the phone, before looking at the clock. Five minutes until the contest.

She quickly turned around, and turned on her Pokagear's map. She needed to get to Altomare.

* * *

**A/N So... Now, May's intro'd, Brock, Misty, Gary, Tracey, and everyone else is on the move, and Iris is on the path of good ol' Sasuke, and being a vengence-ey.**

**I... Well, I don't got much to say today. So, well... I hope you liked the chapter!**


	19. It helps if you use your imagination

**A/N Well, here is the next chapter! I hope it satisfies all of your desires and dreams!**

**A Great thanks to my super-Beta, Syrup Waffle! He's an important part of a complete chapter!**

* * *

Ash sighed unhappily, grumpily giving a glare to the now asleep Latias in front of him. She was going to make his hair, er, feathers fall out at the rate she was going.

He growled angrily, and gave her another complete look over, out of sheer worry and anger. But, to his satisfaction, and, admittedly, his slight disappointment, he found that he didn't miss anything. She was as whole as he could tell, with his meager abilities, but he still couldn't help but feel livid with her. She made him worry sick, sitting at the sidelines and watching her get smacked around so badly for such a stupid reason, over him and some stupid sense of pride.

He wanted nothing like that. He honestly couldn't care if she ran with her tail between her legs. But no, she needed to prove herself, if not to him, than to the herd that watched her. And then, after that... Latiosgrabbed her by the neck and lifted her up, she brought him back up, removing all worry when she revealed her illusion, and he instead found his dread replaced with pride. She showed that she had the fight clearly in hand, and that his worry and sickening fear were completely pointless.

And then, once they got back to the grove, she showed him that, nope, she really was a step away from losing, and won only through trickery and sheer willpower. Sure, her injuries weren't that bad, Pikachu had gotten worse injuries before on some of their more... wild adventures, but while Pikachu fought for what was right, she was hurt over something so horrendously stupid. He wasn't worth a complete thrashing just because of an insult, no matter how bad it was.

And the one who did the trashing. Ash honestly wanted to smack him around himself. No one hurt his friends like that, and no one did... that to them. If he was hers, he angrily mused, then that meant that she was his.

Ash couldn't help but blink at the sudden surge of possessiveness, but he quickly pushed it aside, and easily listed it a side effect of changing species. He knew he was only agreeing to the claim out of friendship, but the very idea of someone claiming her in front of him left a horrible taste in his mouth. As he thought before, if he was hers, then she was his, in a way. It was wrong, just on principal.

He couldn't help himself, and growled a bit, out of anger and, admittedly, stress. After Latias' last showing, he found that he desperately needed a break, not just from his "claimed", but from everyone. Somewhere he could be alone, and think for himself, if only for a moment.

But, as he looked over at Latias, sleeping, he felt that possessive surge return, and he grimaced a bit. He couldn't just leave her alone, not when she was hurt and asleep. His guts squirmed at the thought, and he cursed his somewhat new body. If Latias didn't drive him nuts, his new body would.

"Pikachu?"

The electric type jumped lightly, and quickly ceased his thoughtful staring at Latias, and looked over to his trainer instead. He glanced the Latios over, and, after a quick moment, nodded. "Er, yeah, Ash?"

The male shuffled awkwardly, and sighed. "Pikachu, can I... trust you?"

The electric type nodded slowly, and smiled. "Of course. Friends for life, remember? Whatcha need?"

"I need you to watch Latias."

Pikachu blinked a couple times in confusion. That wasn't what he expected. "Er, sure, but why?"

Ash put a set of claws up to the side of his head in irritation, and shook his head in exasperation. "Just... I need you to watch her, in case that jerk comes back, and... I don't know, just watch her. Keep her safe."

Pikachu blinked, before giving a hesitant nod. He knew why Ash would be worried about Latias, that was who Ash was. But she had shown that she could defend herself, almost as easily as he himself could. Sure, she was tired, but adrenaline was a hell of an energy boost. "Er... Ok? But while I do that, where will you be?"

Ash sighed in exasperation. His starter was asking far too many questions. "Pikachu, I need to just...go for a walk- Fly. Whatever I'm supposed to call it now. Just... can you keep her safe?"

Pikachu gave a hesitant nod, and Ash gave him a relieved smile. But, before the electric type could say anything, Ash shot out the exit of the grove, leaving the mouse alone. The pokemon frowned deeply, and for a short moment, seriously considered disobeying his trainer's order and heartfelt request and instead following Ash. But, as soon as the thought appeared, the starter killed it quickly. Ash's trust was not something Pikachu would break, at least not for sheer curiosity.

After a short sigh of exasperation, the electric type looked back over to the bruised and now sleeping Latias, and gave her a light glare. He didn't know what Ash was so worried about; Latias could certainly keep herself safe. But, Pikachu mused, now she had him to watch her.

Lucky him.

* * *

After the young Sky-Dancer left Latias' grove, he immediately found himself lost as to where he should go. But, no matter how he searched his mind, instead of thinking up a distinct destination, he found himself at a complete loss, and instead, he opted to wander throughout the sanctuary and trying desperately to make sense of his current problems. But, he found that, unfortunately, the sanctuary's inhabitants made for an excellent distraction from his thoughts.

Whenever he got anywhere, or made any progress, a new Lati would arrive, and bow, or introduce themselves, or offer, as Latias warned, some service or other. At the rate he was going, all he'd notice was how exhausted he really was, which wasn't really all that hard to determine. It had been a very long three days, and his body was screaming at him to rest, showing him exactly how much that few hours of precious sleep actually got him. Heck, for how tired he was, his sleep might as well have been five minutes in 4 months.

As he floated past another trio of staring, disturbingly starry eyed Latias, he decided that his current course of action wouldn't work. He needed somewhere to think, not to be gawked at like some exotic pokemon in a zoo. Somewhere quiet, somewhere where he could think about the situation, without Latias, Pikachu, or Lorip making the situation even more complicated, or pressuring him to do something, or feel some feeling he wasn't even familiar with yet.

But where could he go? He needed somewhere where he wouldn't be disturbed, but this entire sanctuary was filled with hundreds of Lati. But the only place he could think of would be outside the sanctuary, but that was instead full of people, many of which would probably love to add a legendary to their collection.

But he continued searching his mind, desperately, and, as fate would have it, he ended up simply wandering into the answer.

The veranda that held the Soul Dew. Somewhere that, if he recalled, was only open to those the Princess trusted. He didn't even know if he was allowed in there, to be honest. But he'd certainly try. Hopefully, he got something out of being the Princess' claimed, beyond uncomfortable feelings and urges from his alien body.

In the end, he barely had to introduce himself before the Lati posted let him in. All they really did was check for the Princess' claim, and once that had been confirmed, they didn't even seem to think of stopping him. If anything, they seemed so willing to let him in, that they might as well have shoved him in. Normally, he'd be concerned, but right now, he had bigger worries.

He slowly, carefully entered the small grove, and hesitantly looked around. This was as close to a holy ground as Altomare had, and he didn't want to disrespect anything. But, as he wandered further in, he couldn't help but feel the starting of sorrow form. Inside the fountain, where ever it was, held the Soul Dew of Latios, Latias' deceased brother.

Savior of Altomare.

After taking a moment to process his feelings, a small idea formed. Maybe, he should talk to Latios, when he found him. Er, the Soul Dew. Whatever he should consider it. After a moment of pondering on it, he decided that it certainly couldn't hurt. And besides, it wasn't like Latios could spread his worries and secrets around. Physical manifestations of Lati Souls told no tales. He slowly continued further onward, and found a familiar sight. A swing. He looked at it, and smiled sadly. Things were so much easier back then.

He looked over to the nearby hill, and saw his destination, the fountain.

"So... uh, hi, Latios. How's things been?"

No response. Ash didn't expect one, but he still felt rather sad at the somberness of the situation.

"So, I guess I'm your sister's claimed, now." Ash added slowly, trying to imagine Latios' reaction. He was torn between a smile, and a scowl. "I... I don't really know what all that means, to be honest. I don't really understand all your guys' culture and stuff... It's all so confusing. Everything is so different, yet, so much alike, that I don't know how I'm supposed to act."

Ash sighed, and shook his head. "Heck, I've barely been here a day, and Latias ended up having to fight some jerk for me, because he insulted me, or something. It seems that all I know either doesn't work, or does really well, and I'm just not able to do it. I'm not much of a fighter, not right now, and I don't think even if I was, that Latias would be happy with me beating everyone up."

The young male slowly edged closer to the fountain, and got a glance of the Soul Dew, thrumming cheerfully. "And, if that weren't enough, now everything I do makes Latias look bad, too. I can't just screw up, and make my own mess. Now, it's hers too. It's dumb."

There was nothing but silence in response, although Ash could've swore he saw a brighter than normal flicker. He felt a small flitter of surprise, and... confusion, and Ash couldn't help but smile awkwardly a bit. "Oh, er, I probably shoulda said this first. It's me, Ash. I guess... I'm a Latios now? I really don't know what happened. I'm still figuring that bit out."

Ash fidgeted a little, and the Soul Dew blinked a couple times. "Sorry. So, what was I saying?"

A single bright flicker was his response. "Oh, yeah. So, when I got here, I expected Latias, and yeah, and maybe some others, because this is a Lati reserve, I guess. But, instead, the first thing that happened when I showed up was her flipping out at me, until she found out, that, well, that I got changed, somehow, and then, that just made her kiss me. Or, claim me. I don't know. But, anyway, she did that without my permission, the second she realizes it was me. She just... did it, and now, I'm stuck. I don't want to hurt her, but... I don't really want to be with her. Not right now. But... she seems happy. And, I always did kinda like her, at least a tiny bit. But... not enough to get engaged, or whatever that claim really is."

The young human-turned-dragon sighed. "And now, I just feel trapped. I can't go backward without leaving Latias all alone again, and I can't go forward without accepting something I'm not ready for. I wish it wasn't so complicated. I wouldn't even have accepted her claim, if I didn't screw all this up in the first place by leaving her all alone. Now, she's broken, and I'm the one who broke her, but now, all I can do is just get married to her, and I might not even like her that way."

Ash clenched his claws a bit. "And, if I leave, I'll just end up leaving her to that guy she got hurt by, who is just... Ugh! A perv who just wants her for her body, or something. So, now, I can't even think about leaving, because I'll just leave her in an even worse spot than last time, but with some pervert wanting to "Make her his" in front of everyone!"

Ash put his claws to his head, and ran them through his feathers a bit. "I just wish there was an easy answer... a choice between right and wrong, but I know there isn't. I can't leave, or Latias pays the price... Again, but it'll be even worse. But, if I stay, I'll be stuck in a pokemon marriage I don't understand, with someone I don't know I'll love. I'm stuck between making someone happy at the cost of me, or the other way around, except they might end up alright in the end. It's the maybe that makes it worse."

"I never thought I'd say this, but... I miss just saving the world. At least then, the answer was pretty obvious. If I don't do this, I die, the world ends up hurt, and some bad guy wins. It was just so much more simple."

Ash sighed, before giving the Soul Dew a small smile. "Don't tell Pikachu I said that. He hates our random adventures."

The Soul Dew flashed a couple times cheerfully, and Ash nodded. "I know, I know. But, it is easier. If I fail, I'm kinda dead, and everything. It's not like I'd have to worry anymore."

The Gem flashed brightly, before dimming. Ash sheepishly scratched the back of his head, and winced. "Oh, Er, right. Sorry."

"So... Beyond that, I just really miss my friends. I miss Tepig, and Oshawott, and Snivy, and Scraggy. I got Pikachu with me, like always, but... everyone else now, they all think I'm dead now. Mom probably heard from Iris by now, and Professor Oak... Misty, Brock, May... Max, Dawn. They all probably know now too. And Iris, and Cilan, they were the ones with me, they're probably hurting tons right now. They all think I'm dead, and I got no way to tell them I'm not."

Ash sat there waiting for a response, and after a moment, the Lati Soul blinked a bit. "Oh, er, yeah. So, I guess I left that part out, too. So, well... I woke up, a couple days ago, as a Latios. My friend Iris, she found me and Pikachu sitting there, and thought I ate myself. Oh, and that I was some random dragon. She chased me off, and I barely managed to pick up Pikachu. I tried to end up meeting Iris in the next city, but... I went the wrong way, and kinda ended up in Hoenn."

The Gem didn't really respond for a moment, but when it did, it just gave a single, dim, almost disbelieving blink. Ash couldn't help but blush lightly, and shook his head. "Well, it's Pikachu's fault! He said we had to go west, and... I just don't know what went wrong."

The Soul Dew blinked several times brightly, and Ash's blush deepened. "Well, Er, I still managed to find Altomare alright! And I was looking for that!"

The Soul Dew blinked once. "Well... True. But! I still say it was Pikachu's fault. He was the navigator."

Ash shook his head, and decided to change the subject. "But, I guess you'd rather listen to stuff about your sister. She's... Colder. What happened, Latios? I know people change, but... She changed so much. I barely recognize her. She's cold, and strict, and... Clingy. Like, really clingy. I... I think she's afraid of me leaving again."

A single pulse of light was all the Gem offered.

"Maybe you're right. But... What should I do?"

One, very bright flash.

"Of course you'd say that! She's your sister!"

A couple, almost angrily flashes was the Soul Dew's response. Ash scowled at the gem, but, after a moment, his expression softened, and he simply sighed. "Dang it, you're right. But... what if it doesn't, well, work?"

A couple quick pulses of dim light.

Ash nodded, and sighed. "You know, my mom always said the same thing."

A bright flash.

This time, the young Lati almost laughed. "Now I see where Latias gets her pride from."

The Soul Dew really didn't have a response. "So, I guess I'll give it the good ol' Pallet town try. Maybe it'll work out."

The Small, ocean based crystal flashed once, as if to nod. The male Lati smiled, and laid down a bit, and leaned into the fountain. "So... thank you for the talk, I guess. Even though all I've really been doing is talking to myself, and using my imagination."

The Gem flashed brightly.

Ash shook his head, and sighed. "I wish I got to know you better. You were probably a really cool guy."

The Soul Dew blinked a couple times, before dimming. Ash shrugged, and shook his head. "I know, I know. So... The last thing I was wanting to talk about, well, is also about your sister."

A single blink.

Ash smiled, and nodded. "So, er, I have been thinking of a name for her. And, well... I think I got one."

* * *

Lorip wasn't the happiest dragon. Sure, in the end, Merrim got what he deserved. That was always a bonus; karma seemed to avoid the male like the plague normally. But the circumstances in which he gotten them; they were less than ideal. As the acting judge, he was responsible for the well being of both challenging parties. And, as such, he got to wait with Merrim for an Empath that was available to heal him, and ensure his care was well-done. Scars would remain, but he had to make sure nothing permanently crippling was left by a healer that didn't want to heal the loser, for whichever reason.

A reasonable concern, to be honest, and it wasn't just because it was Merrim. Healers had mates too, after all, and they, at times, did get into fights. It wouldn't do for a good Lati to die, just because the healer was angry with someone. Justified, or not.

"She's a damn cheater."

He gave a second, very irritable glance over to the now conscious Merrim, and scowled internally. The male had repeatedly protested the Princess' choice of tactics in the fight, even though it was he who set them. If he wasn't already injured, he'd challenge him himself, just to shut him up.

"No, she's not!"

"Yes, she is! She cheated! Plain and simple!"

While the original debate had been with him, it seemed as if the universe felt a need to give him some sort of divine mercy, and Kolm had managed to hurt himself, and found need of a healer as well. The normally calm Latios had stopped by, and quickly saw the injured male. Apparently not in the best mood, he was surprisingly quick to jump into the argument, and Lorip made no move to stop him.

After all, Kolm quickly took away all attention from himself, and brought it all unto him. If anything, Lorip felt the need to thank him. "It was you who set the terms, Ice-for-brains! You probably chose them, just so you could win!"

Lorip sighed internally while watching Merrim scowl in anger, and shake his head in irritation. Yes, while not being forced to argue with Merrim was nice, he could do without the constant shouting. "No, it was so the fight would be fair! I never would have a chance otherwise!"

Kolm smiled darkly, and shook his head in a staunch refusal of Merrim's logic. "Merrim, the only thing you are the great at is claw to fang. And even then, the princess beat you. Without. A. Scratch. You got your wings handed to you."

Merrim sluggishly tried to swipe at the other male in anger, but Kolm easily dodged the injured Lati's attack. Kolm simply laughed, and stuck his tongue out. He was quickly struck, however, in the back of the head by Yackey. "Kolm, be nice."

Kolm rubbed the new injury, and scowled. "Hey! He tried to hit me!"

Yackey rolled her eyes, and shook her head. "And, if he did, I would've hit him. But, how many times has your mother told you not to taunt the injured? Hell, how many times have I told you?"

Kolm gave an unhappy frown, and shook his head. "A lot."

Yackey nodded, and gave a small smile. "That's right. Be nice to the injured idiot. His pride's tatters right now anyway."

Kolm quickly began laughing uproariously, and Lorip couldn't help himself, and sighed grumpily, slowly putting a claw to the bridge of his nose as he tried to nurse his slowly growing headache. The next generation had untold promise, this he knew. And very soon, both he and Merrim would be left in the dust, relics of a bygone age. Yes, with Lati like the Princess, her claimed Ash, hell, even Kolm and Yackey, they will regain their former glory, if not surpass it.

However, regardless of how great they would become in the future, that didn't keep them from being screaming, annoying Banshees _now_.

The group of three Lati continued bickering, and after a few more minutes, Lorip finally had enough. "**_Enough_**. Merrim, act your age. Kolm and Yackey... Just...go. I don't know, go start repopulating our race, or something. Your cut will heal on its own, and even if it wouldn't, your mother can fix it when she arrives at your nest at the end of the day. Today has been certainly difficult enough for this old Lati, without me have to listen to Adult-children bicker pointlessly."

Lorip sighed, before a sudden realization struck him like a pallet of bricks. A small amount of panic rose, and he looked around quickly, hoping to find the objects of his concerns. But, alas, they were not to be seen.

"Speaking of Adult-children... where are the twins?"

* * *

Ash slowly entered the grove, and sighed contently. That little walk, along with the talk with the Soul Dew, was just what he needed. Well, perhaps not fully, but he was feeling infinitely better than he was before. And while his worries, hesitation, and fears were still there, still bubbling beneath the surface, the full weight of the stress that sat on his chest had been lifted, and it felt that he could breathe again.

But now, with his biggest immediate concern fixed, or, at least, kept from completely going nuclear, he found that he had something important he still needed to do.

Sleep. His body was running on fumes, and the previous night was clearly not enough to last him much longer.

"Hey, Pikachu." Ash greeted sleepily, slowly floating past the startled electric type. "So, well... I think I'm gonna go to bed.

The electric starter jumped a bit again at the sudden arrival of his trainer, once again finding himself caught off guard. He looked back over to Ash, and suppressed the already tiresome surge of fear, and instead nodded slowly. Ash was either getting quieter, or his skills were getting duller. He truly hoped it was the first. But, if Ash could sneak up on him easily, then they were both in trouble. "You find out what you needed?"

Ash nodded mildly, stretching his long neck out. "Yeah, I guess. I just needed to make a couple decisions."

Ash then looked over to Latias, and smiled slightly. This moment had been long since due. "So, Pikachu, I think I got a name for Latias."

The electric type blinked in surprise, but, after the momentary shock passed, he slowly nodded. He didn't even know Ash had actually considered naming her. Nor did he think that was what was bothering Ash so much. "Was that what you needed to figure out? Really?" Pikachu asked in disbelief.

The young dragon smiled, before shaking his head. "Nah... It was just something else... but I did think of this when I was gone."

Pikachu was sorely tempted to ask, but he trusted that Ash would tell him if it was actually important. "Alright... What is it?"

Ash grinned a bit, and gestured for Pikachu to get closer. The electric type raised an eyebrow, but obliged, and Ash got closer, forcing the mouse to suppress an unwelcome shudder.

"Well..." Ash whispered, "I was thinking, and... what do you think about the name Atiae?"

Pikachu rolled the name around his head for a moment, before nodding. Honestly, it wasn't bad. It had a nice ring to it, at least to him. "Ok... but, what does it, well, mean?"

Ash smiled a bit, and shrugged. "I don't know. I just took the L and S off of the name Latias."

Pikachu sat there for a moment, before snorting in amusement. "Yes, Ash. Just... yeah. Now I'm honestly glad that you never decided to try and name me."

Ash blinked, and frowned. "What? What's wrong with my name choosing?"

Pikachu shook his head, and chuckled. "Nothing, nothing. The name's good, it's just... if that's all the effort you put into it, you didn't try very hard. What would you call me? Ikache?"

The young dragon scowled, and shook his head. "It's not that bad..."

Pikachu just shook his head, and laughed a bit more. Ash just rolled his eyes, and suppressed another yawn. He needed to get to sleep. He gave a lazy glance around the grove, and found... nothing comfortable looking. The was a decent patch of thick grass, but that was already taken by Latias. He gave the grove another look, but, still, nothing caught his eye. Except Latias' spot.

He gave an all suffering sigh, and decided to just... go with it. Imaginary Latios told him to go for it, and if he couldn't trust a figment of his imagination, who could he trust? He slowly floated over to her, not noticing the curious look Pikachu was giving him, and gave her a light nudge. "Hey, Latias..."

The young female snorted a bit, before blearily opened her eyes. "Wha... Huh? Ash?"

Ash nodded lightly, and sighed. "Yeah... Latias, do you mind if... If I sleep with, er, next to you?"

Latias sleepily pondered for a second, before nodding rather apathetically. "Er, yeah... sure." Was all she managed to get out before laying her head back down and falling back asleep.

Ash then looked over to Pikachu, who looked shocked, and sighed. "Night, Pika."

The electric mouse blinked a couple times in complete surprise, before nodding. "Er, Night, Ash. I'm gonna stay up for a bit, but I'll go to sleep on your back when I do."

Ash just gave a noncommittal shrug. "Kay, Pikachu.

The mouse stared for a moment as his trainer awkwardly snuggled up to Latias, and sighed. This was getting complicated.

* * *

**A/N So, this was a eventful chapter! Set up Latias' name, gave Pikachu some concerns, had Ash actually start trying to, well... allow the relationship? I don't know, it's kinda timey wimey right now. He's in that funny limbo spot, between accepting the relationship, and still wanting out of it. Only difference is, he's gonna try and make it work. So, ok, I guess. Not outta the woods yet. **

**So... I've kinda run out of things to say in my A/Ns. Most old plot points or trivia is either some kind of spoiler, or pointless and garbage to put up. **

**Meh, I'll just put this up here anyway.**

* * *

**Empath: Empaths are a rare Lati Body type, and for multiple reasons. Highly considered to be the weakest and least emotionally stable of all the Lati types, They are Lati who can, through a passive, constant ability, share pain, emotions, and thoughts easily, and are considered somewhat undesirable as a mate, due to their lack of obvious possessiveness and backbone. They are weak in all forms of attack, with only speed and flying skills being equal to the norm. They are instead known for their healing abilities, and as such, can learn Healing pulse, Pain split, Lunar dance, and a unique move called Soul bond, which can prevent the receiver from dying for a short amount of time by bonding the User and target's soul, body, and minds together to prevent extra damage occurring, at the cost of the user's own lifeforce.**

**Empaths often are driven insane, due to their increased ability to read the surface emotions and feelings of those around them at all times. This ability assists them in healing their targets, however, in times of mass death, the stimulus can drive the more sensitive of the type insane, due to the pain, suffering, and hate the lati receive passively. As such, Empaths make for very poor combat medics. **

**Size wise, Empaths are considerably smaller than normal, with a Latios being the same size as a normal Latias of the same age, and a Latias being half the size as normal. In relationships, this body type is known to be considerably more open minded in choices, and as such, will often choose a non-lati mate. They are as loyal as any other Lati, but lack most traits that emphasize this, so they are often considered far too passive and apathetic to be a good mate in Lati culture. **

**Note: This type is able to tell emotional states easily, and use it to locate and disable infiltrators. Use subtle Psychic repressing equipment when in the presence of a conscious Empath.**


	20. Butting heads

**A/N So, here's the newest chapter! Took me a bit, but that was because I took a vacation. Oh, and I also... kinda-sorta rewrote the first thirteen chapters or so. I didn't change anything plot-wise, but I did tweak a whole ton, so, if you want to reread them, feel free. But, I didn't change any plot/lore, so it's not required.**

**Also, I apologize for not responding to all the reviews from last chapter, until the beginning of september! I was gone, and I made a point to avoid Fanfiction, so I could recharge my batteries, as it were. But, here I am!**

**If this chapter is kinda-meh, It's because I tried to get this out as soon as I could. I might rewrite it, once I finish the rest of the rewrites. Only got seven left to go!**

**Thank ya, my Beta, Good ol' Syrup-Waffle! He's awesome!**

**Oh, and I broke 400 follows and 350 favs/reviews! I never thought I'd get this far!**

* * *

"Hey, wake up."

It was certain at this point; she'd never get a full night's rest, no matter how long she lived. Every night, it was something, be it a missing night patroller, or a new Lati seeking solace in her herd, that just so happened to use the darkness to sneak in. But, regardless of what it was, it always seemed to happen during the night. Latias slowly stirred from her sleep, all while cursing her poor luck. She had been having the best dream in a long while.

"I said, wake up."

A particularly hard prod poked her nose, and she growled a bit in irritation. Very few dared to poke the Princess of Altomare in the nose to wake her. There would be a reckoning. "Poke me again, and I will have your wings."

"Well, I don't really have wings."

She simply groaned, and shook her head, weakly opening her eyes. "Fine. Feet, tail, fins, I'll take those instead. I'm not picky. I'll take them, and shove them up your..." It took a moment for her eyes to focus, but after a short second, she found Pikachu staring at her, an unhappy frown on his face, and she blinked once. Maybe it wasn't a dream.

"Well, feel free to try that, but I said we were gonna talk, and now that Ash is asleep, I say we do that instead."

Latias took a moment to gather her thoughts, and quickly recalled the day previous. She found herself quickly looking around, and didn't see Ash. "Pikachu, where is-"

"Behind you. Another thing we gotta talk about."

Latias did as ordered, and sure enough, she found that Ash was snuggled up against her back. Her heart froze for a moment, before happiness and relief flooded forward. Ash was snuggled up to her. He actually had an arm wrapped around her side.

She... honestly didn't know what to do with herself. She settled with smiling happily, and backed up further into his embrace. But, after a short moment, she forced herself to look back at pikachu. Snuggling would have to wait until later. But, later sounded so good right now.

She took a breath, and shook her head. At least there was a later. She was lucky she had that, especially with all she'd pulled in the last day alone. "So..." She started, "You got me up. What is important enough for you to wake me up at..."

She looked around at the dim orange light. "Er... What time is it?"

"Just before sunset. I gave you a couple hours. Thought it'd help to be civil, and the pair of you looked so comfy."

The female looked back to Ash once more, and smiled lightly, regardless of the electric type's teasing. She hadn't had a bedmate since her brother, and the feeling was a very welcoming one. Nights could get chilly in Altomare. She took another moment, before returning to Pikachu. "And, for that, I thank you. But, what is it that you wished to discuss?"

Pikachu smiled lightly at her curtness, and nodded. "Alright. I'll start with the fun stuff. You, Latias, are a giant, impatient, impulsive idiot."

Latias blinked for a moment, before internally agreeing. In all honesty, she was. She nearly screwed up right off the bat, with her claim on Ash, her agreeing to a fight she almost couldn't win, and then nearly alienating Ash right after, by lying through her teeth just so she could keep up her pride. And, to think, she was normally so calculating and patient. "And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean," The pokemon responded, "That you are too much, too soon. You're selfish. Greedy. Suffocating. At first, I thought it'd just be awkward, and you'd end up helping him out once you warmed back up to him, but no, from where I stand, it looks like you just want to smother him instead."

Latias blinked, before giving him a scowl. Sure, she had been smothering. Heck, she could admit it to herself over and over, but the fact that someone else was pointing it out made her pride act up. "You assume much, Pikachu."

The electric type rolled his eyes, and continued. He dealt with Charizard before, and he had a prideful streak a mile long. And, weren't dragons supposed to be all proud? Pikachu just needed to say it. If she did something about it, good for her, but if not, at least he tried. "I want to give you a chance, Latias. I really do; I don't give up on friends easily, and I've honestly always worried about Ash's... romantic orientation, but really, for me, for _him_ to be happy, Ash doesn't need to choose you."

He gave the statement a moment to sink in, before he continued. "There have been a ton of girls that care deeply for him, yes, in that way, and it'd be easy to just nudge Ash towards them, instead of you. You aren't special, and we both know this."

Latias scowled, but, again, she agreed. She was treading on paper-thin ice as it was, and it was literally a miracle it hadn't fallen through already. She did, however, also feel insulted, and she was forced to hold her tongue, just so she didn't give a scathing retort.

"Very well. Is there anything else?"

The mouse frowned a bit at her irritated tone, but didn't do much beyond that. "Yes. I want to know the extent of your illusionary powers. I don't want you to go all dark succubus on me, and really, I have no idea what I'm dealing with."

Latias actually had to keep herself from striking the mouse, then and there. She instead clenched her claws furiously, and took several deep, slow breaths. 'Forgive the mouse, for he knows not what he does.'

It wasn't often that someone threw out that level of insult, even if it was completely on accident. She blamed the culture gap.

After a short moment, she sighed, and looked at the electric type. "I am able to create physical based illusions. I can change what you see, what you smell, what you feel physically. At most, I can make your body feel as if it were afraid, and create the illusion of an illusion of fear. But, I cannot change someone's ideas, thoughts, and feelings. I guess I could use attract as that previous Latias did, but... any Pokemon can do that, and that's more hormones than illusion."

"My illusions are based off your senses. They affect your body, and only your body, and only the most powerful can affect the mind directly. But, those are forbidden to learn, let alone use. Besides, mind altering psychic type moves require so much brute force that you couldn't not notice it. It's less changing someone's mind, and more picking up their train of thought, and throwing it where you want it to land."

"If I tried, I might be able to do it. But, even the most powerful and subtle of legendaries couldn't pull it off without the target noticing, at least initially. Sure, you could change the memories after, but... you'd have a killer headache, and you could recall it later, just by chance. Memories buried can be dug up, regardless of how deep they are buried, or how accidental their recovery may be."

Latias sighed, and snuggled blissfully into the Latios holding her. She always hated being the exposition fairy, as it were. At least she had Ash to hold her while she did it. "So, does that satisfy your questions? Because I am still tired, and I have honestly dreamed of this moment for the past two or three years."

The electric type shook his head, and sighed. "Fine. One last question. What is your intent with Ash?"

Latias blinked, before looking back at Ash. It should be screamingly obvious. "I intend on making him my mate. Did you miss the announcement? Or did you not understand what mate means?"

He smiled a bit at that, but shook his head. "No, I get it. But, you do realize that Ash is probably a Latios only for a short amount of time, right? He won't be able to just... sit around, and play husband and wife with you."

Latias nodded sadly, but she still held a smile on her face. "I know. But... that's normal for Lati. Sure, they mate once, but... they usually stay apart for long periods of time. Maybe a yearly visit for a month, but, for us, that's enough. There's always after."

Pikachu frowned, and shook his head. "And, what happens when he does become a human again? Would you still see him as your mate? Still want his company? You also have to realize that, unless humans are different then I think, you won't be able to have any kids. And you won't be able to stay around, and protect what is yours. Would you accept that?"

Latias smiled, and nodded. "Of course. I wanted Ash as my mate before he became a Lati. Him being one just makes it much more... convenient. Now, I can actually bond with him, and maybe it'll stick when he changes back."

The starter blinked, and tilted his head sideways in confusion. "Bond?"

The female wiggled further back in Ash, before replying. "Do you know how Lati mate? I'm pretty sure you don't, but, hey, it's a long explanation, and I'm tired."

Pikachu shook his head.

Latias sighed, and looked back to the sleeping male with a smile. "When a Lati makes a claim, we push our aura and our psychic energy into our prospective choice, as well as take some for ourselves. We do this to mark our claim as ours, and to prepare our aura and psychic energy, to allow both of us to be familiar with our partner's energy. But, when a Lati solidifies that bond... We pool our entire aura, psychic, physical, and spiritual energies together. We bond our minds, auras, and souls, and become literal mates in every way."

She gave a pause, and continued. "It sounds all impressive, but really isn't. It's just a copy of how Alakazam mate, mixed with the lucario's line. Add a hint of spiritual bonding unique to us, and you get the Lati mating system." Latias gave another pause, before continuing. "We get to use each other's psychic and physical energies, and, if our bond is strong, we can even talk over long distances mentally. Oh, and I guess we can also reproduce, seeing as Lati are completely barren until they have a second source of aura, much like Lucario."

"Once our souls are mixed, we cannot choose another, ever. Our bodies will reject all others quite violently, with or without our consent. My body, his, and his, mine. Now, anymore questions? Because I really want to go back to bed."

Pikachu frowned. "Just one. When Ash changes back, what will you do? Will you let him capture you? Join him on his journey? Just wait here, and hope that he comes back?"

The female changeling sighed, and looked over her back to the sleeping Ash. "I am unable to leave here for long, for obvious reasons. I might be able to help him with his league battles, but... I could never stay for the full journey, no matter what I wanted."

She smiled sadly, and sat in silence for a moment. She then sat up a bit, and turned towards Ash, caressing him with a claw. "You know, the name Soul Dew is misleading. There is no Soul in the gem. It's merely a solidified stone of pure aura, created by the passing of a pure hearted Lati. It, much like all auras, holds the intent of the original user's, but... it holds no memories, no thoughts, and no emotion. Its sole purpose is to fulfill the creator's last wishes. It is merely a very powerful rock that holds the waters at bay. No more, no less."

"But yet, I must keep it safe. Even if it's the equivalent of protecting my brother's old jacket, it keeps the city safe. Altomare has a population of five million humans, and the Soul Dew keeps them all alive. And... my brother died keeping them safe. That has been the only reason I have had to stay here, as of late. Those five million lives are the last thing I have left from my brother, and even if I wanted... I couldn't give them up for anything. Sure, Ash is the last thing I live for, but... those five million are the last thing I'd die for."

Latias didn't say anything for one last moment, before she finished. "That's why I want to be Ash's mate. He's the last thing I love, and... I want something to look forward to."

Pikachu shook his head in irritation. "And how are you sure that you're gonna die like that?"

"My Mother died, and became the Soul Dew. My father died, and then became the Soul Dew. My Brother... He died, and did the same. All of my family, up to my great grandfather, has been the Soul Dew for at least some amount of time. And they weren't being hunted down by some evil organization."

Pikachu sighed, and shook his head. This wasn't going in the direction he had hoped, and frankly, her fatalistic attitude with it raised some flags, as well as many of his biggest irritations. "So, you intend on just giving up, becoming the Soul Dew, and then what? Haunting Ash for the rest of his life? Because, if you love him, you wouldn't want him to be left alone, now would you?"

Latias scowled a bit, and gave the mouse a light glare. She was sure he didn't mean it as an insult, but she still couldn't help but take it as one. "I never said I'd just give up."

Pikachu returned the scowl with a glare of his own. He needed to push her some more. Give her some fight. "Oh, yeah, sure. I mean, you saying that you're doomed, but still intend on making Ash your mate before dying is completely legit. I'm sure Ash would _love_ that, being a widower. You know how he is with his friends. Just image how thrilled he'd be when his mate_ dies_."

Latias gritted her teeth, and let loose a small growl. "I never said that. I intend to fight until my last breath, regardless of what happens."

Pikachu stood up at her growl, and continued shooting daggers at her. His temper was taking hold now. "Oh? So, you intend on living. Sure, ok. It's not like someone _intending_ to do something right has ever screwed up before. For all I know, you_ intend _on staying with him, or _intend_ on actually caring for him. I'm sure your _intent_ will help him find peace with your mangled body!"

Latias faltered for a second, before feeling her anger return in full force. "I_ intend_ on loving him forever! Even if he rejects me, I will love him! And Ash is free to make his choice!"

The electric type scowled further, and growled angrily. "Oh, that's one Hell of a plan! 'I'll just love him forever; until I just give up and die, and let everyone just feel sad for me!' I can't believe you! Any other ideas? Maybe just tear his heart out now, and save you the trouble!"

Latias growled again, and started to sit up. "Oh, and what would you propose!? That I just give up?"

Pikachu didn't respond immediately, but he continued to glare.

Latias pushed herself up further. "Because I won't. I don't care about what you think, Pikachu. The only thing I want is Ash, and I will fight for him, be it with the world, or with _you_."

Pikachu stepped forward a bit in anger, and replied slowly. "Promise me."

The female was nearly completely risen now, and the only thing holding her down was Ash's arm. "Promise you _what_?"

Pikachu had stepped a couple feet closer by now, anger written all over his face. "Promise me that Ash will be the most important thing you got. Promise me you won't fight. Promise me you'll _win_."

Latias had managed to rise up completely, and was furiously glaring at the electric type. "Screw you."

The pair didn't say anything after that, not for several moments. But, after one last moment, Latias turned away. "Fine. I will win. I will fight, kick and scream, and, in the end, I don't care if the world burns around me while I hold the torch, but I will _win_."

She then turned around, and slumped back down beside Ash. "But, remember Pikachu. That means I'll just burn you too."

The electric type nodded slowly, and watched as she snuggled back up to Ash's front, and closed her eyes. He continued to watch for a moment, before letting loose a sigh, and giving his head a shake.

For some reason, he felt he just royally screwed up.

* * *

**A/N So, here's the newest chapter! Fun times, all around!**

**Also, all of you are completely awesome. Truly. I love you all. **

* * *

**Lati legend states that both Lati and humans were created by Arceus and his bride, Mew, in a competition to make the superior pokemon. Mew, who had essentially made sure nature and culture were in balance, made humanity, a humble species who, beyond being surprisingly durable, was extremely weak as a pokemon. Arceus, on the other hand, made Lati, using parts and traits from other pokemon to make the most amazing species in existence. He took the psychic of an alakazam, the empathy of the Gardevoir line, the aura of a Lucario, the flight of a togekiss, the heart of a Dragonite, and the cunning of a persian, and mixed them into a Lati. **

**But, after several thousand years, he saw that Humanity had dominated the world. He looked to his bride, and asked her, "How is it that my creation, one who is strong in body and mind, fall beneath those who cannot stand up against the weakest predator?"**

**Arceus' bride didn't respond immediately, but when she did, she said this. "The worth of a creature is not in it's head, nor it's body. For strength and mental might are but tools to be used. For while I made them weak in body, and average in mind, I gave them the heart, the will, to surpass all others, and that is why they do so. For there is no greater compass than one's heart. It matters not if you have the tools to achieve greatness, if you do not possess the will to use them."**

**She then paused, and looked back to her husband. "Oh, and they also breed like rabbits. That helped, too."**


	21. Morning Dew

**A/N So, I have broken 500 follows! You all are awesome. Truly. **

**So, Here's the next chapter. I split it, so I could get it out on sunday, but, to be honest, it fit better this way.**

**I'm still rewriting the previous seven chapters, but I think I'll go for rewriting a single chapter per update. That way, I'm always staying at least flush. **

**Anyway, on with the chapter!**

**Many thanks to Syrup-Waffle, the Beta-iest of betas, and Grunt-Minion, who's the Gal with the... Pail?**

**She helps me spitball ideas when I get stuck sometimes, alongside Syrup. XD**

* * *

*Poke* *Poke*

Latias scrunched up her face in irritation. Someone was poking her. If it was Pikachu again, she was gonna kill a mouse, right here, right now.

"I swear, do that again, and I will end you."

The poking almost immediately stopped, and she gave a moment, just to see if whoever had the guts to poke her had the guts to do so again. But, while she waited, she noticed that it was moderately bright out. It was probably morning, and she couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed at that.

After all...

She slowly scooted backwards, and snuggled into Ash's larger body. She hadn't had such a good night's sleep in... Forever. She snuggled a bit more, and all Ash did was give a snort, and she couldn't help but smile at the noise. She had dreamt many, many times that she would be able to hold her body against his, at least once, and now, it seems that she finally got her wish.

Too bad someone was trying to wake her up. She didn't even bother opening her eyes to acknowledge her irritant. Whoever it was, they better have a good reason.

"What time is it? It better not be before 10, unless somebody's dead."

She waited for a moment, hoping that scared her irritator off. But, instead, she got her response, from a very unwelcome voice.

"I don't really know. What do you think, Habni? Should we go kill someone, so she'll get up?"

Latias froze, and frowned in irritation. Arceus, Why? "I could've sworn that I requested time alone. And alone means without you two. Now, Shoo."

"I don't know... That doesn't look alone. In fact, it looks kinda like the opposite. So, he any good? Because he better be a physical god, to grace our Princess' nest."

Latias internally sighed, and forced herself from letting out an irritated growl. Those two would be the death of her. She slowly opened her eyes, and gave the male nearest to her a glare. It didn't really matter which shade she looked at, the pair was interchangeable. "Excuse me? I don't recall requesting a chaperone, let alone someone who can decide who I bed."

The male she glared at smiled mischievously, and shrugged. "Hey, we're your body guards. It's our business to know who's sleeping with whom. Besides, I don't even recognize this male. What happened to all that chastity stuff you kept preaching, for... I don't know, forever?"

The second male frowned a bit, and looked over to his twin. "Maybe he seduced her, Habna."

The first male didn't look particularly happy with that thought. Latias sighed, and shook her head. If only. Actually, if she was completely honest with herself, she seduced him. "He didn't. And, my chastity is intact. This," Latias gave a small head gesture to the still sleeping Ash, "is my claimed, and he will have your respect."

The pair blinked and looked at each other in confusion, before looking back at Latias. The first male didn't speak immediately, but, when he did, Latias recognized the look in his eye, and scowled. "We leave for a day, and our Princess gets claimed? I told you, brother, that we shouldn't have left! Our poor little princess got seduced, the very instant we left!"

The second male put the back of his arm on his forehead, and made a dramatic pose. "Alas! Some random rapscallion has had his way with our most precious of gems! You know what we must do, brother."

The pair looked to Ash, who let loose another snore, and both gave matching smirks. Latias growled warningly, and started to get up. "You touch him, and I'll kill you both, here and now."

But, before she could move, one of the elder Lati shot forward, and...

Casually leaned on her wing with an elbow, and gave her a shrug. "But, seriously, if you wanted to sleep with someone, all you had to do was ask. Didn't need to claim a guy, just for that."

Before she could respond, the other male plopped down on her other side, and nodded. "Yeah, we would've looked the other way. Or joined, or, well... anything, really. You know how our oaths are."

Latias frowned at their teasing, and shook her head in irritation. "Get off."

The pair of males immediately floated upwards, and gave a pair of equally disturbing smiles. "So, who is your new claimed? Because, to be honest, you've never shown any interest in... well, anyone, anything-"

"Anywho-"

"Anywhere-"

"Anywhen-"

"With the sole exception being your weird fetish with charred wood-"

"Which we don't judge you for!"

"And we've been getting kinda worried. I mean, how are we supposed to have an heir, if there is no baby making?"

The other male nodded, and shrugged. "Or, hell, at least that dating thing all you young Lati are doing nowadays. I mean, being a prude is good and all-"

"But, you keep this up, something will give, and we'd rather hang ourselves when that "give" could end up being some random Lati, using you as another notch on his wing."

"Which is a very valid concern! I mean, that's what happened to Habna, and-"

"Brother! I thought we'd never talk about that!"

Latias sighed, and gave a small huff. She hoped this would end soon, but knowing those two, they'd only shut up once the pair of them were in the ground.

"Sorry, brother. So, while we knew we could never force you-"

"And, if anyone else did, we'd have to kill them oh-so painfully,"

"But! We know diddily about... er, who is this, again, Habna?"

Latias continued her irritated glare. It was like irritating in stereo. "His name is Ash."

"Alright, we know nothing about-"

The other brother perked up, and froze. "Er, Brother?"

The Latios closest to Latias blinked, and turned around. "Yes?"

The other Latios smiled nervously. "I think we do."

The second Shade blinked, and frowned. And so did Latias. How did they know him?

"We do?"

"Yeah. Remember, when we caught our darling princess, well, moaning his name?"

Latias blinked, sitting there in silence until she realized what they meant. But, the instant she realized it, she flushed crimson. Oh, Arceus, please no-

"Ah yes! Wait, that was over him? Explains the fetish."

The other brother nodded. "Oh! Well, I guess we do. Say, Princess, how well do you know him?"

Latias bared her fangs in anger, but managed a terse response. She couldn't believe them. She was going to kill them, and use their bodies as bait for fish. "I know him much better than I know the two of you. Now go die."

The pair blinked, and one of them put a hand up to his heart in jest. "Oh! You wound us, Princess! But, er... Really?"

Latias nodded, and took a moment for her anger to cool down a bit. Once it did, she managed to keep herself from killing her bodyguards. "Of course." She replied angrily, "And why would I claim someone if I did not know them?"

The pair slowly looked at each other, before shrugging in unison, irritating Latias further. "Admittedly, that is in character for you."

"And so is not telling anyone about your friends and past. And hobbies. And dreams. Hell, I'm still not sure if you actually have a name, but refuse to tell us!"

The other Latios moved in front of his brother, and interrupted him. "What he means, is that you don't tell us much. Remember when that angry human barged in here, and no one knew who it was, and tried to stop her?"

The other male nodded in agreement, and continued. "Oh yeah! She was all, "Oy! Latias!" And then she punched me!"

Latias gritted her teeth, and opened her mouth to interrupt, but she was too slow. "You kinda did deserve it, Habni. I mean, you groped her!"

"It wasn't my fault! Those lumps looked like a good place to try and grab her-"

And that was when she had enough. "Quiet!"

The pair froze.

"Now, was there a reason you're here? Because, I was trying to enjoy some rest on my day off. You know, the thing I never get?"

The pair of Latios looked at each other, before looking back to their Princess, and bowing.

"Er, about that... We're really sorry-

"We had no say in it-"

"But! Your request for your second day off has been denied, at least temporarily."

Latias frowned. Of course. Anything else, universe? "On what grounds?"

One of the pair actually snorted a bit in amusement, before the other held face. "The hunting trip held by seven of the council members didn't end well. In fact, in the words of one of the fateful few, it was, and I quote, 'The worst possible thing."

Latias sighed, and frowned. That sounded like Rary. "So, I must cover for their duties? Was it that bad?"

The brother sitting on the left snorted again, and the other simply smiled. "They ran into a very angry school of Gyarados. There was no deaths, but..."

"Three are scheduled for a full day of healing, via Empath, one got hurt bad enough to get sent to a Pokemon center, and one is nearly featherless."

The Latios on the left actually laughed at that, and the second looked as if he was holding back a laugh as well. She also had an idea on who was featherless.

However, she wasn't nearly as amused, if only because she was currently livid with the two in front of her. She looked at the laughing Latios, and frowned. "Does the idea of a quarter of our council members being injured amuse you, Habna?"

The laughing dragon tried to shake his head in disagreement, and a quick Psychic grab from his brother quickly clammed him up. Latias sighed, and shook her head.

"So, who am I covering for?"

The male on the left was the one who answered. "The south section of the city's security, hunting groups for the northern sea, hatchling supervision, the youth's morning training, and a single shift for the Soul Dew must be filled, although Amien agreed to do it if you could move around the guardian's timing so it's a later shift. He has supervisory duties for the sanctuary's security before four, but after that, he's free. All other duties were picked up by the other council members, so your workload wouldn't be too heavy. It was supposed to be your day off, after all."

Latias sighed, and shook her head. "Very well. But I am leaving Altomare before 6 P.M. I am joining my claimed on a trip to his home area, and I have promised that it would be today. I try my hardest to keep my promises, so it goes without question."

The pair of males nodded, and Latias sighed. She stretched a bit, and looked over to Ash. To her luck, he was still asleep. "Ash, it's time to wake up."

She gave him a light nudge with a shoulder, and, as she predicted, he didn't respond. She gave a small sigh, and nudged him again. Nothing.

Latias pondered on what the try, before giving a glance over to her pair of Lati body guards. She grinned lightly, before leaning in, giving Ash a light kiss, smiling internally when she caught the surprised expressions of her pair of body guards in the corner of her eye. "Ash, It's time to get up~" She spoke softly, trying her hardest to be as gentle sounding as possible.

Ash moaned a bit, and tried to roll over. "Five mo' minutes."

Latias gave him a very slow, deliberate nuzzle, and smiled, making a note to memorize the astonished expressions of the pair of Latios sitting there. She wasn't sure if they were shocked by her affection, or her tone, but it was nice to be one the side of surprising and seemingly embarrassing them. "How about three?"

Ash mumbled a half hearted agreement, and Latias looked over to the pair of Latios, her caring, loving expression dying immediately. She even barked her next orders, just to make the difference seem all that more jarring. "Well, you heard him. You two get everything ready, and I'll arrive when we're up, and have had breakfast."

The pair of Latios stared for a moment, before bowing awkwardly. "We'll just assume that, when you told us to go die, it would be from natural causes. It may be a bit."

Latias just waved a claw, and sighed. "Fine. Now go."

She took a single moment to let herself calm down, before looking fondly over to Ash, ignoring the pair that slowly exited her grove. Sure, the pair meant well, but they were extremely grating. It was a wonder that she hadn't snapped already, and killed the pair. The thought made her smile slightly, and she looked to the sky, mindlessly noting that it was rather dim. It was probably around nine, if a bit earlier. But, regardless of the time, Ash was here. She smiled at the thought, and stretched a bit more, looking for Pikachu. Surely, Pikachu couldn't have slept through that.

But, as she looked around, she found a distinct lack of the Pokemon. She even looked to Ash's back, in case he tried to snuggle into Ash. But, alas, he wasn't there either. Saved her the trouble of having to fight with two rock-heads. He'll turn up, and Pikachu was an absolute monster when it came to fighting, so she was sure he'd keep himself safe.

"Ash, you only got one more minute. Make it count."

Ash gave a sleepy mumble, and Latias sighed. She had hoped for another free day, but it seemed as if fate had other plans. But, at least Ash would get to see what her duties were, and maybe he'd enjoy some of them. She gave Ash a nuzzle, and smiled. At least the duties were easy ones, and she was sure that Ash would enjoy the training and helping watch the hatchlings for a moment or two. In reality, she wasn't supposed to actually _do_ the jobs, just fill in shifts and assist when necessary, but if it allowed her to spend more time with Ash, she'd gladly get into the thick of it.

Besides, it couldn't hurt to have him get familiar with their species offspring. After all, if things went well...

Latias forced herself to shake her head, just to clear it of that thought. She was getting way too far ahead of herself. She instead looked over to Ash, and gave him another nuzzle. "Ash, it's time to get up."

"I don' wanna."

She smiled lightly, and shook her head in amusement. "Oh? So, you want to skip breakfast?"

Ash stirred a bit at that, but it didn't seem to be enough. "Later. Too comfy."

Latias smiled further, and nuzzled Ash again. "Oh? Am I that soft?"

Ash gave a mindless nod, and she almost let loose a happy little squeal. She snuggled her back into him a bit more, and he gave a happy sigh, making her smile further. But, after a short moment, she gave her own sigh. She had to get going, regardless of Ash mindlessly snuggling her. "Ash? I still think you should get up. And I don't think you want me to force you."

Ash mumbled something, and Latias sighed. It was just like yesterday. She pondered a way to get him up, before grinning a bit. She knew the perfect way.

She weaved an illusion, and simply sat there, and waited. "Now, Ash, you made me do this."

Ash mumbled a small questioning noise, and Latias smirked. Suddenly, a large amount of water appeared in the air, and poured from above, raining down on Ash, making him yelp in surprise.

"Cold!"

The young male jumped up, and Latias gave a bark of laughter. She held the illusion for a second longer, watching in amusement at his desperate shaking before letting the illusionary water fade away.

"I told you to get up."

Ash gave her a small glare, and shook his head. "That wasn't funny."

Latias shook her head, and gave him a fond smile. "No, I'm pretty sure it was. It's not often that I see dancing dragons."

She then rose up a bit and stretched fully, wincing at the soreness and stiffness in her body. She would be feeling this pain for a while. Such is the price of being on the losing end of a complete beat down. And yet, she couldn't help but be in a good mood. "So, I have some bad news."

Ash stiffened a bit, and looked over to her questioningly. She smiled sadly, and met his gaze. "My request for a second day off has been denied, so... I will be busy all day today, until we leave for Pallet."

The male frowned a bit, and she tried to smile comfortingly. "You, as my claimed, have the right to join me in all my duties, and you can participate. You are seen as my equal, and as such... have all the rights as I do. If you want, you can join me."

Ash pondered on this for a moment, before nodding. "Okay, but, er, what are we doing?"

Latias let loose a breath she didn't know she was holding, and smiled. He'd join her, and his company would make it infinitely better. "Well, the easy part is setting some patrols and some hunters for the northern sea, and after that, watch over the training of the youth. After that, we move to making sure that the hatchlings are all right."

Ash nodded in contemplation. "Er, Okay."

Latias smiled a bit, before looking away. "But... before we go, should we... talk about yesterday?"

Ash blinked in surprise, before nodding slowly. He didn't expect her to bring it up, to be honest. "Yeah... sure."

She sighed, and gave a slow nod, happy that Pikachu was nowhere to be found. The extra audience would make it harder to speak her mind. "So... Are you still mad?"

The male mirrored her sigh, and nodded. To be honest, he really, really was. "Yeah. You got beat up, over something stupid. I mean... When he challenged me, I thought it'd be like a pokemon battle. Not a fight to see who could hurt the other as much as they could, until one passes out."

The female raised an eyebrow, and looked at Ash. "Isn't a Pokemon battle just that?"

Ash shook his head in disagreement. She didn't really get it. "No. The battle stops once one of the opponents are too tired to continue. The pokemon hold back... there's not supposed to be real injuries. Those fights are actually illegal, fighting until your pokemon passes out is wrong. What you were doing... I thought you were actually trying to kill each other."

He frowned, and looked away. He was angry, true. But he was also mad for a lot of other things. This was the culture Lati had, and not only was he angry with it, but angry with himself, for letting that just happen. "And... just... yeah. You scared me. And then made me feel better, and scared me again. Don't do that."

Latias nodded slowly, and sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. And, she did do that. "I just wanted you to be proud, I guess."

Ash shook his head in irritation, and looked over at her. And, suddenly, he was reminded of a small Chimchar. "You're my friend... and, er... my claimed. You don't need to prove yourself. I'm not Paul."

The Princess nodded, and sat there, not really having a response.

"So, I guess I talked with your brother yesterday."

Too be honest, the statement caught her completely flat-footed. She turned towards the male, and gave him a quizzical look. "Huh?"

The Sky-Dancer shrugged, and smiled a bit. "When you, er, passed out, I went for a walk, or fly, or whatever I'm supposed to call it. And, I got lost, and came across the Soul Dew's little area."

Latias nodded, and smiled a bit. That did sound like Ash, getting lost like that. "And, because of me being... well, you know, your claimed and all, I got to go and speak with the Soul Dew."

Latias waited for him to continue, but when he didn't she felt the need to ask. "Er... did it... talk back?"

The male shook his head, and Latias let loose a breath in relief. "No... It just... blinked a lot. But it helped me figure things out."

"Such as?"

Ash shrugged. He didn't really recall most of the conversation, just the highlights. "Just... where I am. What I'm doing, and what I should do. Although, I really think your brother's biased."

Latias couldn't help herself, and let out a small snort of amusement. The Soul Dew was nothing but biased. It was a gem that was nothing but Aura and intent. "I can believe that."

"So, I decided that I'll try."

The Changeling blinked, and looked at her claimed in confusion. He was making precious little sense. "Try? Try what?"

"This whole claimed thing."

Latias frowned a bit, and looked at Ash. She could've sworn that they already covered that. But... then again, she just could expect him to accept it just like that. "Didn't you already say you'd try?"

The male nodded, and smiled a bit. "Yeah, but I decided to try harder!"

Latias' frown immediately died, and she smiled a bit at that. Only Ash could say that, and be completely sincere. "Oh. I am very happy to hear that."

The two then sat in silence for a moment, before Ash spoke again. "So... would you mind if I named you?"

Out of all the things she was expecting, that was not one the list. It actually caught her off balance, and it took her a moment to formulate a reply. "Ash, I... Er, yes."

"You do mind?"

She quickly backpedaled, and waved her claws about. "No! No, I mean, I'd be... *Ahem* honored."

Ash smiled a bit. "So... What do you think about the name Atiae?"

If she was honest with herself, she would've accepted any nickname he gave her. But, regardless, she rolled the name around a bit in her head, imagining herself being called such, before nodding. "I like it."

She could have sworn that Ash's smile could've lit up all of Altomare. "Yeah! You're the first pokemon I've named!"

Atiae returned his smile, and sat there, letting him have his moment. "So... Ash, you hungry?"

The male nodded. "Oh yeah!"

"Then let's go get some breakfast."

* * *

**A/N There we are! Latias is named, and I can finally stop having to use weird terms to determine who she is in a crowd of unnamed Latias! Fun times, all around!**

**Plus fluff! I've missed that on my vacation. **

**Feel free to review! Makes it easier to determine what you guys want, and hate!**

* * *

**Fun Fact: In earlier versions, Ash was going to be already considered Mates with Latias. This was changed for obvious reasons, especially seeing as a Mating Bond is permanent, and Latias would've forcibly made him her mate upon seeing him initially, causing all sorts of moral issues. It was going to be a source of severe tension in their relationship.**


	22. Work meetings suck

**A/N Alright! Here's the next chapter, hot off the presses!**

**It's a good deal exposition, but, hey, as dear ol' dad always said, a building's only as good as it's foundations.**

**Hope you like it!**

**Also, a couple people have asked how to pronounce Atiae. It's said (verbally) Ah-Tee-Ah. The E is silent. And, no, I'm not gonna change it. XD**

**A mighty big thanks to my Beta, Syrup-waffle!**

* * *

When Latia- No, Atiae had asked if he wanted breakfast, he thought she meant that they would go to a restaurant again, or, more likely, they would forage for something on their own, like the countless times he'd been in the wilderness.

But, to be honest, he never expected a lunch line.

"Er, is getting food always like this?" Ash asked hesitantly, following the female to the back of the line. He noticed that, much like yesterday, the pair was getting many different looks. That would still take some getting used to.

The newly christened Atiae turned her head and gave the male a fond look, and smiled. "Not always. When we have free time, we're expected to hunt for ourselves. But, some Lati have jobs that cannot be left undone, like protecting the city and sanctuary. And those who work those jobs still need food, either way, and a hunting trip takes at least an hour. So, we have hunting parties gather food for those who are too busy with official duties, and those such as new parents who can't leave their hatchlings and don't have a mate that's able to hunt for them often, or... at all."

She gave short moment of silence, before she continued. She wanted to make sure Ash understood everything, but she was already tired of explaining every little thing. "Not all have a mate or claimed that can hunt for them when they are busy, for many reasons. But, they still need food, so, lunch line."

Ash gave her a nod in acknowledgement, and shrugged. Made sense, at least to him. "So, we just... grab what we want?"

Atiae nodded, and plucked up half a Magikarp, passing over a smaller Goldeen. She preferred Seaking, but not many willingly hunted those on hunting trips, simply because of how dangerous they could be. It was far easier just to catch Goldeen and Magikarp, not to mention safer. "Pretty much. I normally just have one of the twins hunt for me, or use the canals if I actually have free time. But, sometimes, if I'm feeling sociable, I come down here."

She paused, and looked over to Ash. She knew Ash could eat a lot, but now... she honestly had no idea how much he could possibly put down. She couldn't help but frown internally; she wanted to make sure he'd get his fill, but there was the chance someone would complain. "Normally, there's a limit, but... It's by body type and size. The bigger Lati tend to eat more, and some different breeds eat less, but we've never had a Sky-Dancer here before, so I have no idea how much you can eat."

She pondered for a moment, before sighing. What good was being the princess if she couldn't get her claimed some extra food? She'd at least let it pass this one time. If it became a problem, she'd figure something else out. "We'll just let you eat your fill. After all, how much could you eat?"

* * *

"I think that's an academy record."

Atiae sighed in exasperation, and looked over to Ash. She had thought, no, expected him to eat a lot. Sky-Dancers were rather infamous for eating more than anyone else, pound for pound. But, when she figured he'd eat a lot, she thought, maybe twice as much as a normal Lati. A reasonable expectation, right?

It seemed that she woefully underestimated her claimed. Hilariously so. In fact, the male had already eaten enough to gather a large crowd, but Ash paid them no mind. He was currently focused on the still massive pile of food in front of him, and it seemed that nothing could take his attention away from that. In fact, she almost felt jealous.

Almost.

But, as she watched Ash scarf down fish after fish, she found that she instead felt pride. She recalled that, even two years ago, he was a very messy eater. But, it seemed the past two years have toned that down, and while he would still be considered a somewhat messy eater by human standards, by Lati ones, he was very neat.

"We're lucky we don't have any other Sky-Dancer, they'd eat us out of house and home."

And, it also seemed that, somehow, Ash's endless appetite was endearing him to the local Lati population. Sure, as of right now, only the night and morning watches were here, and they did have a reputation of not only being the most militant and experienced, but also the most crude, but it couldn't hurt to have Ash accepted by some of her herd, even if it was only because he could eat a ton. Baby steps, after all.

"Ash... when was the last time you ate? You know, besides yesterday."

The young Sky-Dancer shrugged, and stopped eating for a moment. "Well... I had some berries a couple times when we came over from Unova, but... two days ago?"

Atiae blinked, and shook her head. That explained it. The poor Lati was probably starving. "Well, don't get sick. That's enough to feed five Lati, and it'd be a waste to have it just ended up covering the grass."

Ash shrugged, and grabbed another Magikarp, taking a bite. "Otay." He looked over, and gave her a smile. "Whell, whoo cam eep too."

The female smiled, and shrugged. To be honest, she had been more interested in watching him eat rather than eat herself, and as such, she hadn't really touched her food much yet. So, she simply shrugged, before giving him a smile and blatantly taking a Magikarp from Ash's pile. Not many would take that sitting down, but all the male did was look at her in mild interest for a second, before shrugging and continuing on his current Magikarp. Atiae smiled further, and took a bite. She was almost having fun, figuring out how much of his behavior was actually him, and not the fact that he was now a dragon.

Even she would've been at least slightly peeved, having someone steal her food without asking.

"So... You still like Magikarp?" She asked conversationally. She hadn't really talked much with him since he got here, and she needed to remedy that.

Ash nodded, and took another bite. "Oh yeah. But there isn't very many places that have it in Unova, so I kinda missed it."

Atiae smiled a bit, and nodded, taking a single, reserved bite out of her own fish. "So..."

Ash stopped, and looked over to Atiae. "Yeah?"

"What are your plans once we get to Pallet? Just... explain to your mom what happened?"

Ash frowned for a second, before nodding. Sounded like his entire plan. "Yeah."

Her smile shrank a bit, and she continued. She was hoping for a more... in depth answer. "And... what after?"

The male sighed, and shook his head "No idea. I mean... I can't stay there, because of... you know. I think I'll come back here, until I figure this whole thing out."

She couldn't help but let loose a breath, and her smile grew larger. So, he planned on staying. That's good. "Oh. I will be happy to host you, and, er, everything."

Ash returned her smile, and nodded. "Thanks. So... do they normally-"

"Took you two long enough."

The pair both jumped slightly, and they looked over to see Pikachu sitting behind them. "Pika? Where the heck have you been?"

The mouse smiled, and shrugged. "Here and there. You know, you two sleep like rocks. I wasn't exactly quiet this morning, and you two slept through all that. I'd be impressed, if I didn't already know Ash."

The male shook his head, and smiled sheepishly. "Errr..."

The mouse shrugged again, and smiled innocently. "Don't even try to deny it. Either way, I ended up going for a walk, and found this lunch line, just like in a Pokemon center. So, I got some breakfast. Cool, huh? Mornin', Latias."

Atiae raised an eyebrow, and the mouse smiled innocently. The mouse was leaving something out. "So, what's the plan? Are we leaving right after breakfast, or what?"

"Or what. I got my day off rejected, so, until we leave for Pallet at six, I have work. But, Ash is joining me, aren't you?"

The male nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

The electric type nodded, looking somewhat disappointed, and looked over to Latias. He could handle a postponed trip, but he was hoping to at least help Ash train a little. "So, what are we doing?"

"I am setting some patrols, some hunting parties, and Ash is helping me teach and watch the younger Lati."

Pikachu nodded, and looked back to Ash. The male didn't seem to be against the work, so he wouldn't say anything. Besides, he was a Pokemon Trainer, the male was probably looking forward to teaching the young Lati. And he got along with the younger children like no one's business.

"So-"

"There you are, Princess!"

Pikachu turned around in surprise, and held back a reflexive attack. What was going on today!?

A Semi-transparent Latias floated up, and both Pikachu and Atiae looked at her in irritation. "Yes, Lulu?"

The pair looked at each other, and the shade in question scowled, before giving Ash a single glance. "Mouse. I trust that you're behaving yourself?"

Said mouse gave a scowl, but nodded. That seemed to satisfy the older Latias, but it gained a raised eyebrow from Atiae. But, before she could ask, Lulu looked over to her. "Princess. You are needed for morning council meeting, seeing as you're not taking the day off."

The young female sighed in irritation, before looking back to Ash. She hated the morning meetings. "Ash, feel free to stay until you've fin... How?"

All the remaining food was already gone. She glanced around, and noted that most of the on-lookers looked rather impressed.

Ash blinked, before smiling innocently, and Pikachu had a rather irritated and disgusted look on his face. "And I thought your normal table manners were bad."

It took her a moment to regain her composure, but once she did, she glanced over to the female Shade, who was looking equally disgusted. "Alright. Er... If you wish to join-"

"Yes!" Ash blurted out. He looked and sounded rather excited at the concept, and Atiae shrugged. He was probably wanting to learn about Lati culture. "Ok, Ash. Just... Let me clean your face, you got scaleseverywhere."

* * *

Ash couldn't help himself as he looked around at the gazebo in wonder, and Atiae held back a grin. Maybe it was the Sky-Dancer's naturally softer features, but he looked like an adorably gob-smacked hatchling.

"Ash, you might want to close your mouth, else a Pidgey fly in."

Atiae snorted at Pikachu's euphemism; if that's how it worked, it would make an easy breakfast. She gave one last look at Ash, before looking around the gazebo, noting an irritating lack of... everyone.

Even Lulu wasn't here, and she was the one who summoned them.

She felt a pang of irritation, before sighing. She was probably summoned here early, just to maintain the illusion of supreme competence. No doubt Lorip's doing. At least her being early gave her extra time to explain stuff to Ash.

"So, Ash."

The male glanced over to her, and she continued. "I'll tell you this now. As my claimed, your words have a lot of weight. Your status is equal to mine, and everything you say, can be seen as an order from me. So... be careful with what you say, Ash."

Pikachu frowned a bit, and looked at Atiae. "So, you just brought Ash into a formal meeting, without any warning?"

Atiae shook her head, and gave the mouse a glance. "It's not a formal occasion. This is just a morning meeting. It's pretty informal. I'm just telling Ash so he knows. As Princess, if I say jump, everyone is expected to ask how high. If Ash says he's hungry, it's not conversation, it's him demanding someone get him food, unless he was asked about it before hand, and even then, someone asking would be seen as an offer for them to get him some food. If the two of us have a complaint, it is something we're asking to have remedied. Not us making conversation."

The electric type gave a frown, and sighed. Ash could be whiny at times. He hoped that didn't become an issue.

The princess paused, before speaking again. "But, that is neither here nor there. Ash is a good person, and I doubt he'd take advantage of them, at least intentionally."

She then gave a glance towards Ash, who nodded. She smiled, and spoke a third time. "So, Ash, It's here that we'll set up the patrols and hunting parties. The council members, along with any heads of patrol groups and important messengers and anyone who wishes to watch will be at these meetings, and, as my claimed, you will be watched, judged, etcetera. But, Lati standards are far lower than humans, so I'm sure you'll easily meet them."

She smiled and looked at Ash. "There will be formal meetings at times, but those are either scheduled, or called on by me. At those, you'll need to be very careful. Some Lati can be sticklers for formality, and in a formal setting, any breach in etiquette is seen as an insult, either intentionally, or because you couldn't care enough to give them what they think is their due. And such, you could easily offend one by looking at them at the wrong time, or wording a sentence that seemingly belittles their stance or position. Sure, I'll be able to protect you from any repercussions, but still. No need to insult anyone for no reason."

Ash nodded at that, and continued looking around the gazebo. It was very nice, and while it looked rather wore down, it gave it a surprisingly nice look on the marble. He understood what she was talking about; He had dealt with many legendaries who acted the same way, and he usually did alright with them, at least after he explained himself to them.

He continued looking, and gave a single glance at the table. It was a nice, rustic table, seemingly hand-carved out of what seemed to be polished granite. But, upon looking closer, he noticed a very large crack down the center. The table was a solid slab three feet thick; what could have shattered this? "Er, Atiae? What happened here?"

The Princess sighed, and shook her head. "That was me. I lost my temper yesterday. Merrim... said some words that offended me."

Pikachu glanced over, curiosity on his face. That was a very large slab of stone, and while Pikachu had seen damage done on an equally impressive scale often, it would take a pretty good strike to crack it like that. "Like what?"

"There is no greater insult to a Lati then one aimed at their mate... or claimed."

Ah. The male insulted Ash. The pair of males both nodded, and Ash simply gave a shrug, before continuing to look around some more. Pikachu, however, decided to focus on Ash. It seemed that he was still excited at the idea of learning about dragons, and the "princess" seemed content on staring mildly at Ash. Pikachu found some small solace in that fact. At least she was still completely infatuated with him.

But, after a few minutes of waiting, a pair of Lati arrived. Atiae looked over as they grew close, and almost immediately recognized them, giving the pair a nod in acknowledgement. "Hello, Larry. Lulu."

The pair bowed lightly in return, and sat down across from the trio. Atiae looked over to Ash, and gestured lightly with her head. "Ash, this is Larry. He's the head of the morning and night patrols. And you've already met Lulu. The two are mates."

The pair gave respecting bows in Ash's direction, and Ash made to reciprocate, but Atiae stopped him, and whispered in his ear. "Ash, bowing to anyone is considered acknowledging them as your superior. As my claimed, you are equal to me, and only me. In terms of the herd, Arceus himself would defer to us in a political sense." She smiled lightly, and finished. "You may not agree, Ash, but that is our way."

She then pulled her head back, and looked at the pair. "So, Lulu here is in charge of our food and logistics. She and her assistants keep track of our food, and our resources. She tells me when we need more hunting, and when we have too much leftover food, and to pull some hunters back out. She is also unofficially in charge of gardening, and she, along with three empaths, are in charge of keeping all of our trees and flowers healthy."

Lulu nodded, and Larry looked to Ash. "You teaching your claimed the ropes, Milady?"

Atiae gave a nod, and gave a cold, if polite smile. "Of course. It might be helpful for him to know. Sure, he doesn't know etiquette yet, but that takes time to learn. Besides, if Merrim can manage to bumble through our council meetings without insulting someone every other word, I'm sure Ash can manage."

She then gave a small gesture to Larry. "And this is Larry. He is our most experienced patroller and guard. As such, he keeps track of the morning and night patrols, and trains what few dedicated battlers we have. We have little use for dedicated fighters, due to the human presence here, but we figure it's wise to keep a few, in case the worst happens."

Ash gave a small nod, and looked to the pair, noticing that Lulu was looking right at him. "So, you have quite the appetite, don't you, Milord?"

Ash blinked, before awkwardly nodding, somewhat uncomfortable with the honorific. "Er... yes?"

Lulu smiled lightly, and continued to stare at him, making him fidget a bit. "You did quite the number on our morning stock. I've seen full hunting teams eat less than you."

The Sky-Dancer shuffled awkwardly, before giving another nod. He really wasn't sure to respond. "Er, I'm sorry?"

The shade seemed to immediately either accept his apology, or simply didn't care, because her expression changed little when she spoke again. "You must be quite the hunter, to keep yourself so well fed."

Ash didn't really have a genuine response to that. Instead, he shrugged. "I guess?"

Lulu continued smiling slightly, and Atiae gave an internal sigh. She could see what Lulu was trying, but her attempts at polite conversation weren't doing Ash any favors. It was just making him uncomfortable. But no one ever accused Lulu of sensitivity. "What was your last hunt?"

Both Atiae and Pikachu internally winced at that. Ash, however, gave another shrug. His last hunt. "Er, I guess a Gyarados?"

Neither Larry nor Lulu expected that. "A Gyarados? Those are always difficult, and not many dare hunt them. How did it go?"

Ash smiled a bit, recalling the event, and, more importantly, how much fun he had with it, even if it ended in disaster. "Well, Pikachu and I batted it around on the beach a bit, but it got away. It really liked using those Hyper-beams. It looked like a warzone when it ran off."

Lulu nodded, and continued smiling. "They tend to do that. So, how did your hunting team drag it ashore? Mine usually use psychic, but I hear some like doing it physically."

Ash blinked in confusion. He didn't recall any team being with him. "hunting team?"

"Yes, the ones that helped you hunt the Gyarados?"

Ash frowned a bit. "Er, it was just me and Pikachu."

Both Larry and Lulu looked surprised at that. "Just the two of you? You must have some good psychic strength to drag one ashore by yourself, let alone fight it."

Ash smiled a bit. "Not really. Pikachu stunned it with a thunderbolt, and I grabbed it and drug it ashore. But it squirmed out of my hands before I could hit its head off a rock."

The pair looked at each other, looking rather stunned, the mental image of Ash physically dragging a large Gyarados ashore himself stuck in their heads. Ash smiled, while both Pikachu and Atiae sighed. Worst part was, he wasn't lying. Technically.

Just leaving out some very vital information and context.

The conversation tapered at that, the pair unsure if he was lying, or if he simply was extremely strong, and there was quite a bit of silence for a while, before another group of Lati arrived. They bowed, similarly to Lulu and Larry, and Atiae, and this time, Ash nodded in return. "Ash, this is Bin, Kor, and Gertrude."

The young dragon smiled at the newcomers, and waved lightly.

He then looked over to his claimed. He was noticing a strange pattern. "Er, why are the names so..."

Atiae smiled in amusement. She figured Ash would notice. "Mixed? It's an old tradition, to name a Lati after the first noise it makes. But, not many do that anymore, and just name them whatever comes to mind."

The male pondered her answer for a moment, before smirking. "Oh? So, your first words, huh?"

Said female blinked, and looked at him in confusion. "Huh?"

Ash continued smiling mischievously, and nodded. "I can see it. 'Latias! Latias!"

It took her a moment to figure out what he meant, but once she did, she blushed lightly, before smiling back. "Oh, and you're one to talk, Ash. I think I already know how you got named."

Ash snorted, and shook his head. "According to mom, that's probably close to the truth."

Atiae smiled a bit, and Ash smiled back. But the two were quickly brought out of their thoughts by a voice. "It's good to see the two of you. Hello, Milady."

The two of them jumped, and Atiae was quickly reminded of where she was. Her expression immediately returned to her indifferent stare, and she glanced lazily over to the source of the voice. "Oh, hello, Lorip."

The elder shade nodded, and gave a light bow. "It warms my old heart to see you two get along so well. You two truly are a good pair."

The young Changeling nodded, and gave a frown. "I am content. However, I believe I left something undone in my haste to spend time with my claimed, yesterday."

Lorip winced a bit at the memory, but nodded. "Yes, you did, Milady."

The Princess nodded, and gave Lorip a frown. "As of right now, you are replacing Habni as one of my personal guards. Habni, on the other hand, is being set as my claimed's personal guard, when he is not with me. Beyond that, you are to take all of my duties after five P.M today, so I can, without escort, take a trip to Ash's home region, to do a check on his friends and family."

Lorip frowned lightly, but bowed nonetheless. It was clear that he didn't like the idea of her leaving the sanctuary. "Very well, Milady."

The female gave a cold, resolute nod, and frowned further. "Know this, Lorip. I have given you for far more slack than I should've ever given. But no more. I will no longer turn a blind eye to your smaller transgressions. You will be held at the same standard as everyone else."

Lorip actually smiled a bit at that, surprising Ash. "Very well, Milady."

"Is there anything you wish to add?"

The elder shade nodded. "Yes, Milady. I've watched you for the past two years, and I am glad to see you grow closer to what you have the potential to be."

Atiae nodded, but her expression didn't change any. "Duly noted."

She then looked back to Ash. "I guess we're leaving earlier.

* * *

It had taken another fifteen minutes for the rest of the meeting to arrive, but when they did, Ash nearly found himself overwhelmed. Almost two dozen Lati were there, all of them with concerns, issues, and reports.

"So, all of the third patrol will take the northern red light district."

Pikachu, on the other hand, found himself bored. Sure, he understood what she was doing, but it was old hat to him now. It was just a rewrapped training regimen, with someone responsible with something very specific, instead of focusing on improving themselves or learning a new skill. Replace practicing an iron tail with protecting this street, and it was basically the same thing. In fact, he was sure Ash would be pretty good at this.

So, he instead moved his thoughts to Atiae and Ash's relationship. When Ash had came in last night, saying he was going to give it an actual try, Pikachu figured that, maybe, he'd be friendlier, and would hang out with Latias... Atiae, whatever he named her, and maybe allow her advances to whatever he was comfortable with. And that seemed to be the case. He wasn't disappointed.

And, to his irritation, and, admittedly, his slight relief, they were actually getting along well. Ash even told her the name he was gonna give her, and she accepted it. Sure, it'd taken a day or so, but now, they were back to how they were before; teasing each other, giving each other playful nudges and looks, and Atiae seemed to be trying her hardest at some clumsy form of what could be considered flirting. But, he had to face it; Atiae was completely love struck. She was head over heels. Gob smacked. Twitter patted. Enamored.

Pikachu sighed, and shook his head. Maybe it'd work out. Just maybe. But still, the mouse couldn't help but feel worried. And, what was worse, he wasn't sure why. He never had these worries when he thought of a human girl mating with Ash. Marrying. Whatever humans called it. But, now that Ash had a very serious contender for his heart, he felt... concerned.

Maybe he was just jealous. Maybe he was worried that his place as best friend was about to be usurped.

"Anyone have any concerns with the scheduling?"

That was his cue to cut those thoughts right there. Pikachu gave a bored glance over to Atiae, and sighed. Oh, how he could wish he could say what he wanted truthfully. But those were personal problems, ones he needed to figure out before he voiced them.

"Very well. On to the next topic. It's an easy one. Merrim, why is my table still broken?"

The male in question winced, and awkwardly rose up. "I am still locating a suitable replacement, milady."

He seemed considerably more civil today. Atiae sighed, and shook her head. "Have you tried the quarry where Lorip found this one?"

Merrim nodded a bit, and Atiae sighed. "Very well. Keep searching. I expect a replacement soon, Merrim. And, as head of our scouting patrols, I would think it'd be very easy for you to find one."

The male nodded, and sat back down. "Very well. The next order of business is..."

* * *

"And I now call the morning session complete."

Most of the Lati started to rise, and started dispersing. Both Atiae and Ash did the same, and Pikachu let loose a sigh of relief. Finally, sweet release.

"So, Ash, most of our time will be taken up with teaching the youths, and watching hatchlings. Are you alright with that?"

Pikachu answered before Ash could. "Atiae, he's a pokemon trainer. He does great with kids, and he's "helped" train dozens of pokemon. I doubt he'll have a problem. Am I right, Ash?"

The dragon in question nodded. "Yeah! I'm actually looking forward to it."

Atiae smiled, and nodded. "Alright. I'll have you know, Young Lati aren't the most obedient, nor the most attentive. Even I cannot keep their attention for long stretches of time."

Ash snorted at that, and Pikachu shook his head. "I'm sure Ash has got it. He trained Totodile, and while it took a bit for him to figure out the method, he got it down pretty good. And he still acts like he's hopped up on poke-nip twenty-four seven."

The female smiled at the mental image, and looked over to Ash. "Very well. You're the pokemon master. Now, let's get to the youths."

Ash gave a excited nod, and looked to Atiae. He was looking forward to training some pokemon again.

* * *

**A/N Aaaaand that's a wrap!**

**I hope the chapter was satisfying. But, if not, leave a review or send me a PM telling me why!**

* * *

Patrol and security numbers and placement; Altomare Herd

Morning patrols: 37 Lati, 12 Latios, 25 Latias. 18 Current-chasers, 2 Shades, 12 Changelings, 1 Colossus, and 4 Ferals.

Afternoon/Evening Patrols: estimated total of 52 Lati, 24 Latias, 28 Latios. 14 Current chasers, 31 Changelings, 1 Shade, and 6 Ferals.

Night Patrol: Estimated 15 Lati, 8 known Latios, 7 known Latias. 9 Shades, 2 Current Chasers, 4 Changelings.

Morning Patrols: Morning Patrols mainly consist of Current chasers, as the city has a higher need for lifeguards during high times of sleepy, work based transit, rather than actual physical protectors. While the morning is technically the least protected, combat wise, the fact that they have a single Colossus on duty on most days, along with the morning patrol holding some of the most experienced, makes any attempt of physical violence or attack a futile attempt, as the Colossus is kept on standby for emergency assistance, and most patrollers have extensive combat experience.

Afternoon/evening Patrols: As the need to protect sleep deprived and unattentive humans from drowning lessens, the day patrols change from protecting others from drowning, and focus more on petty crime and physical violence. As such, this patrol is not only the biggest, but also the most subtle. As such, a good majority of the Patrol are changelings, allowing them to infiltrate and protect the residents of Altomare, without them even knowing. This patrol is the most secure, especially seeing as most don't even know how large it is.

Night Patrol: The Night Patrol is home to the most experienced, as well as the most skilled, of all the patrollers, due to the fact that the small amount of patrollers. As such, every Lati is acting as their own individual cell, with no backup possible, and as such, both stealth, and skill, are highly required. The Night Patrol's duty mainly consists of thwarting major crime, such as drug dealings, murders, rape, and large scale nighttime robberies. As such, only the Night Patrol are allowed by their Alpha to use lethal force on a regular basis. This is actually the largest point of contention between the local populace, and the herd that resides inside Altomare. Extremely difficult to track, due to time, and skill of Patrollers.

Scouting Patrol: The Scouting patrol is less a patrol for the city, and more of an ear to the ground, used by the Lati of Altomare. They often leave the city for days on end, venturing far and wide, to gather news of other herds, Lati, listen to events relevant to the Lati of Altomare, and locate good hunting grounds, as well as discover emergency evacuation routes. Due to the liquid movement and deployment of this patrol, no genuine body count has been gathered.

Altomare Sanctuary security

The sanctuary of Altomare has it's own security force, along with all of it's residents. Body count and deployment are all unknown.

This has been my report on the current status of Altomare's herd. I will forward next month's on the usual day, at the usual place.

Executive Maxie, Team Rocket.


	23. Insert training music

**A/N So, here's the newest chapter!**

**And, on a happy note, I got 400 Fav's and reviews, as of last chapter! Huzzah! Let's get this chapter rolling!**

**Oh, and thanks to my uber beta, Syrup-Waffle!**

* * *

Ash was a happy Lati. And, why wouldn't he be? He was going to get some semblance of normality back, and, beyond the trip back to Pallet Town that was already in the works, the best way that he could think of was to train some pokemon. Sure, he still had Pikachu, but his best friend was a perfectly trained war machine at this point, and Ash was at the limit of what he could teach him. Pikachu was at his current peak, and Ash himself would need to become a better trainer to teach his buddy something new.

Ash had hit this wall before, though, and he wasn't too worried. Eventually, he'd learn some new technique, or think up a new, more efficient way of training, and that would allow them to get more out of his best friend and starter. But, until then, he would instead focus on his newest trainees. Besides, while improving Pikachu was great and all, it ended up being a numbers game when he got down to it, and training new pokemon were so much more satisfying.

After all, he could actually see the difference in what he was doing.

As such, the instant he got within sight of the small group of what he assumed to be his new "pokemon", he looked at them excitedly, and prepared to shoot off, much to Atiae's amusement. "Ash, slow down. They aren't going anywhere."

He paid her no mind, and rushed over anyway. To be honest, she was pretty excited as well, but she was able to hide it. After all, while Ash was training the new youths, there was the possibility of him training her as well. And, while she was considered one of the strongest Lati in the sanctuary, both Ash and Pikachu didn't seem the slightest bit impressed with her fight. Not a single compliment, and even Ash's slight positive thought was on the potential for her techniques, not her actual execution. He didn't say anything, really, but she could tell that, to him, she was merely a hatchling, swinging her arms around desperately, hoping to get a hit in.

She'd burn with indignation, if she didn't already know what Pikachu was capable of. He was a monster. She'd almost say he was unnatural. And yet, she still hoped that Ash would be able to make her the same.

After all, if she was going to be one of his pokemon, she needed to be strong.

As such, she and Pikachu slowly continued in the direction of the "class", readying themselves for what came next.

* * *

The first thing Ash noticed when he got there was that, out of all the young Lati, none were even half his size. And, he wasn't even that big, compared to other Latios. If anything, he was rather small.

Two dozen chibi's. He was basically training mini-me's.

Alright, fine, they were smaller than most, but in the end, size didn't matter much. Pikachu was simultaneously one of his smallest and strongest pokemon. And Ash couldn't help but feel that Pikachu wasn't just some exception to the rule.

Besides, they reminded him of Atiae when he first showed up to Altomare, all those years ago. She was much smaller than she is now, and even back then, he wanted to train her the instant he saw her. The feeling was still there, actually.

He could tell that she had so much potential, just waiting for him to unleash it.

But, for some reason, he didn't get the same vibe from this batch. Sure, there was potential, a lot of it, in fact. This group would become some great, powerful pokemon, if not some of the most powerful and skilled he'd ever train. But, even with what his gut told him, he could tell that they weren't the same.

Ah well. Having gifted students made the job boring anyway. He learned less when the student learned everything after a single try. Pidgeot was like that, and while she was a powerful Pokemon, she was a downright bore to train.

"So, class, we have some special guests today. The Princess and her claimed have volunteered to help train you today. So, I want you all to give them your utmost respect."

The little Lati looked over to them, and Ash gave a small smile as he looked back over them. A couple were of a lighter build, but that didn't matter much. Size didn't really seem to matter, in his experience, and if Pikachu could throw a Milotic around, he was sure that these Lati could do similar feats. He continued looking them over, only losing his train of thought when they all gave a simultaneous bow. Awkward. His expression became slightly forced, and he gave a short nod. He still hated that.

Atiae, however, held her normal expression as she settled in beside him, finally catching up. She was far too used to younger Lati to be too moved by their size, and she had gotten used to the bowing a long time ago. Besides, to her, they were basically already adults, and she would treat them as such. And even if she took their age into account, they were only two or three years younger than her. "Yes. My claimed and I will be teaching you today."

She then turned towards the teacher, and gave him a bored look. To be honest, out of all the things she kept track of, the training for the "next" generation was the one she focused on the least. She wasn't much of a teacher, and the youths reminded her too much of her past. As such, she passed them over to the more sensitive and motherly Ceril. "So, what have they learned so far?"

The Latios smiled weakly, and shuddered under her gaze, making her frown a little. That was never a good sign. "Er... Only basic hunting, flying, and self defense, Milady. There's been a lack of teachers, ever since Sil passed away, and Larry got transferred over to patrol duties. In fact... I'm the only one left, and there are two classes besides this one."

Atiae frowned at this. Both of those positions should've been filled a long while ago, and while Ceril was a busy Lati, she was irritated that the youth's formal training had fallen to the wayside that much. Sil had been dead for nearly a half year, and Larry only taught part time in the first place, and that had been an issue even back then. "I will be having a discussion with Ceril for replacements the instant I see her. In the meantime, Ash and I will be taking over, possibly until either a replacement is found, or Ash decides to take a permanent position. Ash, I defer my lead to you."

The male nodded, and gave a small frown. These Lati had been ignored by the system, and, as such, had gone mostly untrained. In a pragmatic sense, it helped him, but he couldn't help but feel irritated. Children should never get ignored.

But, regardless of the past, he did have a ton of ideas on what to do. Speed training, attacks, techniques, the world was once again his to mold. But, sadly, he had to do the boring part first; getting these Lati into shape. They were rather scrawny, and endurance was one of the most important traits a pokemon could have, regardless of job or discipline. The longer they could last, the less amount of time they took to train, the longer they'd last in a fight, and the less often they'd get hurt over doing something.

A boring, yet necessary task.

But how would he go about it? He pondered on that for a moment, before coming up with an idea. After all, he actually knew how exhausting movement was, in this body. Some basic calisthenics, and maybe some high speed endurance runs. Flights. Whatever.

But, before that... He might as well figure out what he'll need to teach them later on. And if he did that right, it'd tire them out a bit before they started, as well as get their blood pumping. They'd need their bodies ready for what lay ahead.

He gave a single pause, before turning completely around and glancing around. He needed something small, something...

Perfect. He quickly spotted his target, and...

Floated over to the nearest berry bush. Both Atiae and Pikachu looked at him, before giving him a disappointed look. Only Ash.

The male proceeded to pick several berries off the bush, pointedly ignoring the looks of his two companions, before squeezing an Oran berry for ripeness. It squished a bit, and he smiled. "Yeah, this'll do nicely." Now, he had to explain the technique. Or demonstrate...

Before anyone could do anything, Ash cocked an arm back, and threw one at Atiae, hard.

Atiae barely had time to think, before quickly snatching it out of the air with a reflexive psychic. Who knew dealing with the twins would actually come in handy? But, once she regained her wits, she looked over to the berry she held, and gave Ash an irritated look. While she normally enjoyed his playful demeanor, there was a time and place, and if he wanted to play in front of everyone, attacking her with food wasn't the most socially acceptable way. A playful nip would suffice.

And that would be happily welcomed. "And what, Ash, did that succeed in doing?"

Ash smiled, and grabbed another berry, holding it up, before throwing it at Pikachu, who simply moved his head enough for it to miss. "Well, it tells me that you use psychic enough to catch fast, small objects through sheer reflex."

He then threw another one at the teacher, who lifted a claw, and caught it, looking rather bemused. Ash nodded in approval, and looked to Atiae. "I'm testing reflexes. Knowing how a pokemon will react makes it easier to teach it. Some like to dodge, some like to block, some like to just take the hit and fight on, and some pay attention to almost everything they do, and choose what they want. Knowing what they'll try to do helps me figure out how to teach them."

He looked at the nearest young Latios, and threw a berry fastball. The youth ducked, and Ash nodded, satisfied with the result. "See? Most reflexively block, but a couple like to dodge."

He then glanced to a young Latias, who was laughing at the male who ducked. He threw a berry, and her arms went up to block her face. "See? You're like Atiae."

"Like who?"

Ash blinked, giving a small pause, before realizing the slip of his tongue. Oops. To be honest, he wasn't sure that she ever gave him permission to call her that in public. He couldn't see why not, but... She was known as the "Princess of Altomare." Status seemed to be important to her. He didn't know what her getting a new name would do socially. Heck, he didn't know if even nicknames were acceptable.

Atiae didn't respond immediately, instead giving a pause, thinking on the possible consequences. But, after a second's thought, she shrugged apathetically, and gave Ash an approving nod. After all, he was probably going to call her that in public at some point, and frankly, she would wear her given name with pride. After all, it was a gift from Ash. It wasn't something to hide.

She'd have to think up an excuse, however. Just so it wasn't taken as an insult by some of her more sensitive herd-mates.

Ash smiled at her nod of approval, and looked back to the young Lati. He gotten what he hoped was the all-clear. "The princess. That's her name."

The group of Lati, including the teacher, looked rather surprised at that.

Ash smiled, and gestured to Atiae. He figured that she, along with the teacher, would enjoy "assisting" him in this endeavor. "So, if you want, you two can grab some berries. We have some Lati hunting to do."

Atiae smiled at that, and nodded. This might be a fun way to vent some of her frustrations.

* * *

"So, we have... twelve speed, seven defense, four deflecting... and... one cry?"

Atiae took a mental note of that, before glancing over to Ash, who was sitting over beside the crying Lati, trying his hardest to comfort him. He seemed to be succeeding. Pikachu nodded, and looked over to the teacher. "Yeah. Maybe. I know what Ash is doing, but I think he did it this way so the "students" would have fun with it, because there are better and quicker ways to figure that out."

Atiae and the teacher looked at the mouse, and blinked. "Oh?"

Pikachu nodded. "Yeah. After all, all you have to do is think "I'm gonna dodge!" and you'll dodge, making this way kinda inaccurate, especially if he's using something no one wants to get covered in or hit by. For, example, sticky berries. Besides, Ash is pretty good at guessing how they learn and move just by looking at them in the first place."

Atiae and the teacher nodded a bit, and looked over to Ash, who had seemed to have calmed down the little Latios. He got up, and ventured towards them, and nodded. "Chalk him up as a defensive."

Atiae and Pikachu nodded, and Ash smiled. "Alright, so... ten speed, five defense, seven blocking, and... two attack? I don't know, the two rougher ones tried to smack at the berries after they hit got hit. They weren't too happy."

The male teacher and Atiae paused, but Pikachu nodded, accepting Ash's differing count without even a pause. "I noticed that. Ah well, not everything can go just like we would like it. We'll figure it out."

Ash smiled, and looked over to the group of youths, who he decided to christen as "the chibi's." They were all covered in several chunks of berry, and Ash smiled at them. "Alright. So, now that I know what you'll do, we'll get some exercise in!"

The young Lati didn't look too excited at the prospect, but Ash just gave them a disarming smile. "Aw, don't be that way. In fact, your teacher, Atiae, and I will be exercising with you!"

Both Atiae and the Latios looked over at him in surprise, and the teacher actually frowned a bit, apparently unhappy at being volunteered. Atiae, however, simply nodded. He could get over it, and technically, it was an order. "Very well."

The youths took a moment of contemplation, before giving the group equivalent of a shrug. Ash smiled, and stretched a bit. "So... I'll say this now. I'm going to train you all, and I'm sure that if we do it right, you'll all become the most powerful Lati in this herd."

The youths seemed to like the idea.

"It'll be very hard work. But, when we're done, you'll be stronger than your parents, your teachers, heck, even stronger then the Princess is right now."

Atiae smiled lightly, and the teacher frowned further. "So, let's get started. I think some suicides will work for now. Everyone form a line."

The group slowly and hesitantly lined up, and both Ash and Pikachu watched the line and sorted it all out.

"Does he mean what he said, Princess?"

Atiae glanced over apathetically to the male that sat beside her, and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"That he'll make those youths so strong. I don't like bold faced lies, to make young ones work harder."

The female huffed slightly, and shook her head. "You know... when I got back from my fight with Merrim, I got chewed out by Ash. He was extremely disappointed in me."

The older male blinked.

"Let's just say, to him, we're barely registered on a skill scale. We're untrained hatchlings, flailing around. He's gonna fix that, starting with this class. Even if he does what he considers a failure, he'd make those Lati far stronger than me. I don't have a doubt."

The teacher nodded, and Atiae sighed. But, before either of them could say more, Pikachu ushered both the teacher and Atiae into the line beside Ash, who looked over to the pair, and smiled. "Nice of you two to join me. In fact, Pikachu! You joining?"

Pikachu smirked a bit, and waved a paw. "Nah, I got plenty of exercise this morning. You go on ahead."

Ash gave a shrug, before looking forward. He really didn't want to know what Pikachu was doing today. Whenever he asked, it ended up being a problem. "So, we're gonna be running, er, flying off to that fallen tree, over there." He gave a point, gesturing to a tree a couple hundred meters away. "Alright. We got three hundred of these!"

The entire group froze, and Atiae looked over to Ash. Was he serious?"

"Ready..."

The group winced.

"Set..."

Atiae took a single breath. She hoped she'd actually manage to finish.

"Go!"

* * *

"That was great, everyone! Pikachu, did we manage the normal ten minutes?"

The mouse gave an apathetic glance over at the panting, collapsed group, and shrugged. Ash always did have a habit of breaking in his pokemon like they were rentals, especially if they were brand new. But, he went through the same thing, and he couldn't find himself feeling much sympathy. "Nah. I think that was thirty? A bit over that, actually."

Atiae heard the mouse gave them the time, and groaned weakly. She didn't think she'd ever been as tired as she was now, even if it was mainly mental strain. But, on the bright side, she was the only one, besides Ash, who was still floating. The rest was in some state of catatonic exhaustion, laying where they fell. In fact, she was surprised that they made it halfway. She was surprised she made it halfway.

Ash, however, grumbled a bit in disappointment. Sure, these weren't his normal, well trained pokemon, but he hoped they'd have the stamina to manage at least fifteen minutes. They were fast, flying dragons, after all, and even he hadn't ever exercised his new body to withstand the strain yet. "You sure? I'm pretty sure it was less than that."

Pikachu shook his head, and smirked. "I'm sure. But hey, time flies when you shoot back and forth like an idiot for half an hour."

Atiae frowned, and shook her head irritably. She was hot, sweaty, and more tired than she could ever recall being, and yet, she still didn't even meet Ash's most basic of standards. She needed to try harder.

But, she couldn't help but note that Ash seemed perfectly cool and calm. She frowned irritably. Stupid Sky-Dancer genes and their high flight endurance.

"It... seems that you picked... a strong mate, Milady."

The female looked over to the panting, tired teacher, and gave a tired nod. She might have said something sappy in return, if she hadn't been so tired.

The teacher shrugged, and Ash looked back over to the group. "Alright! Now that the warm up is done, let's get some actual exercise in!"

Atiae felt her eye twitch. That was the warm-up? She barely managed the warm-up. She gave a glance over to Pikachu, just to see if Ash was being extra hard on them, but the mouse seemed rather bored. She grimaced, and shook her head. She needed to keep pushing.

"Hey Pikachu, do you still got that rope from earlier? You know we always need some rope on hand when we train."

Atiae made a mental note at Ash's fondness for rope, but, besides that, she forced herself to keep from scowling. She really didn't want to continue, and the only reason she was still up was because she was forcing herself to be.

Only for Ash. Damn him.

"Yeah, I brought it over when you were running around like an idiot. Not surprised that you didn't notice. Looked like you were having trouble there."

Ash smiled mischievously, and shook his head. "In your dreams. Oh, and Pikachu, could you get the rocks set up? We're going to do stamina training, and... Well, you know."

Pikachu gave a nod, and Ash looked back to the group. "In the meantime, we'll do some pushups!"

The group groaned, and Ash smiled disarmingly. "Nah, don't you guys worry, it'll be easy! We only have... I don't know, let's go fifty."

Atiae sighed. Fifty sounded reasonable. She could manage that.

"And then, we'll do couple hundred sit-ups and pull-ups. And then, we'll exercise our wings!"

And... She guessed she would have to manage that as well. At least her body wasn't dead yet.

The rest of the group simply groaned.

"So, let's get those out of the way, and then we can take a break. You know, for lunch."

* * *

"Come on, Atiae, you almost got it!"

Damn him. Damn her. Just... Damn everything. She forced what little willpower she had left, and managed one last pull up.

"Six hundred!"

She immediately let go of the branch, and closed her eyes, not really caring if she hit the ground. She was too tired. But, instead of a impact, it seemed that Ash caught her. It was a nice gesture, but she regretted taking that blasted mouse's suggestion to impress Ash. She couldn't even feel her arms.

"I told you she could do it, Pikachu! You owe me your lunch."

The mouse simply grumbled, and Atiae sighed. At least Ash was holding her.

Atiae sighed, and blearily opened her eyes, and managed a light glare at Ash, who had sat her down beside him. The male seemed tired out a bit now, probably because the exercise didn't use his psychic reserves, but he still seemed reasonably energized, even if he seemed to avoid moving his arms. She couldn't help but feel jealous. At least she could brag that she did twice as much as he did. "That was really good, guys. Oh, and girls."

He stretched a bit, before looking at the exhausted group of Lati. "So, I think we should break for lunch. Atiae?"

All she could do was weakly nod. He smiled a bit, and gave her a claw, offering to help her up. Her personal dignity cringed at that, but she mutely accepted the claw, ignoring her draconic pride. It was Ash's hand. She couldn't just ignore it. "So, do we just... bring them down to the lunch line?"

She gave a weak shrug, and looked over to the still grounded teacher. She knew nothing of what they did, or even who they were. Heck, they could've been a group of undercover midgets openly and vocally working for Whirlwind, for all she knew. "Ariem, how do the students break for lunch?"

The teacher weakly stirred, before looking over at the pair. "They usually... get picked up by their... parents in an hour."

Ash nodded, before smiling. "Lunch line it is!"

Atiae gave him a appraising look, before shrugging. She did increase the northern hunting group's numbers today, so their food supply didn't get ravaged by her claimed. She wasn't sure if this morning was a one-time event, but she wanted to make sure that she could keep him fed when she wasn't free, without forcing someone to hunt for him.

That reminded her, she needed to teach him how to hunt. But that was a thought for another time. Right now, it was the lunch line. It took her a moment, but she figured that it wasn't a problem. "Very well."

The male smiled at her agreement, and looked over to Pikachu. "You got the ropes and stones ready?"

The mouse nodded. "Yeah. What're you tying them to, anyway?"

Ash smiled, and Atiae got a bad feeling. "Well, I wanna get them used to carrying a lot of weight, so I'm gonna load them down with rocks, and have them hover for a bit."

That comment earned him a small groan from the group. "It's not that bad! Only for a half hour."

Another groan. They weren't even being subtle with it anymore.

Atiae rolled her eyes, and let loose a single irritated breath, before looking over to her claimed. No wonder Pikachu was a monster. He'd lived through this training regimen.

The male Sky-Dancer looked around the area, and smiled over the group. "Well? Are you guys hungry, or do you wanna keep exercising?"

That seemed to work. The group of youths and the teacher all slowly, tiredly rose themselves off the ground, and Atiae simply leaned on Ash. The male smiled at them, and shook his head. That always worked. Offer them either the carrot, or the stick. "So, who's hungry?"

* * *

The instant the group got to the eating area, nearly everyone turned to look at them. And, in a terrible twist, Atiae felt very self-conscious, a feeling she hadn't had for a very long time. She was sweaty, sticky, and, if her feathers had followed the course the rest of the group seemed to have been following, she probably looked like she just got mauled by a ravaging horde of dust bunnies. But then again, so did the rest of their group, minus Pikachu.

But she still wasn't used to stares that were negative. Appraising, sure. Judging, yes. She even had gotten used to the idolizing and even lustful stares other gave, but... she hadn't gotten a negative look, even a minor one, for almost two years, since she'd proven herself. She didn't like it.

She looked down at herself, and gave a small grimace. She looked like she just crawled out of bed after a very bad night. She definitely didn't look forward to grooming herself, or Ash. The both of them were covered in dirt and sweat, and neither washed out easily.

Atiae sighed, before glancing over to Ash. The male seemed a bit more subdued then he was earlier, and she chalked it up to exhaustion. However, the youths didn't look any better. They all seemed to have a blank, exhausted stare going on, and she didn't doubt that, once they were all free, they'd just fall asleep the first chance they got.

And she didn't feel any better. In fact, she'd probably be taking a nap once this was over, protocol be damned. Ash wore her out, and he could be in charge of watching the hatchlings later. She'd end up having to cover him later anyway, seeing as she'd probably be getting hell from their parents when she returned from Pallet. If there weren't any of this group's parents in the feeding area in the first place.

But, regardless of her exhaustion, she had to agree that Ash's training would have results. After all, she didn't think anyone here trained that hard, with the sole, possible exception of her five dedicated fighters, but even then, this was just the beginning. She doubted this is where it'd stay.

Atiae sighed at the thought, before getting into the line with all the other youths and Ash. In all honesty, she was hungry, and she wasn't gonna give up this break. And she figured that if Ash saw that she wasn't eating and had no intention to, he'd try and train her some more, and probably have her do so, in front of everyone. That wasn't something she'd appreciate, regardless of her feelings for him.

Especially since, if he ordered it, she'd probably do it, regardless of the repercussions or false interpretations the watchers would get.

She sighed, and shook her head, mindlessly following the slowly moving line. Her thoughts were going somewhere dangerous.

"Princess?"

Atiae blinked, before turning slowly around, looking at one of the small Latias that Ash was training. "Yes?"

The youth looked rather sheepish, and spoke nervously. "Does... Ash really know what he's doing?"

The older female blinked, before giving the young Lati a small smile. If she was certain of anything, it was that. "Yes. He's a very strong Latios, and he truly does know what he's doing. In fact, I have no doubt that, if he trained you all, that you'd be our strongest Lati. I believe in him. You should, too."

The youth looked surprised at that, and Atiae gave her a smile. "After all, he's teaching _me_ too."

Atiae then turned around, but continued giving the young Latias a small smile. "Don't you worry. It may be hard, but he'll make you strong."

She looked back to Ash, and sighed. Yes, he was going to drive them into the ground, but, when he was finished, these youths would be the best they had. She didn't doubt it.

"Back again, Princess?"

Atiae let loose a sigh, and shook her head. She couldn't just finish a thought, today. She gave an irritated look to her right, and noticed Lulu sitting there, smiling slightly. Another sigh. "Yes, Lulu. Can I help you?"

Lulu gave an indifferent shrug, before looking her over. "No. However, are you aware that you are in dire need of a grooming?"

The princess gave an irritated nod, and looked back forward in the line. "Yes. However, I am resuming my exercise and training after lunch, and grooming would be a grand waste of time at this point. I wouldn't doubt if I just finished the _easy_ part."

Lulu gave another indifferent roll of the shoulders, before replying. "Very well. I assume this is you claimed's doing?"

Atiae gave another nod. "Of course. He's... very disappointed at the state of our Lati. As such, he's starting to remedy that by helping teach our youth."

The female shade nodded, and looked over the group. "He seems to be strict."

The Changeling ignored the subtle jab, and gave her counter. "He has much knowledge on training, and he desires the youths to be at an acceptable physical state before he teaches them anything significant."

The shade gave a nod, and smiled. "And you?"

The female Changeling gritted her teeth in irritation. It was another subtle jab, this time at her, and she didn't appreciate it. "You are welcome to join us, if you wish. I have no doubt that he'd be able to assist you too."

Lulu shook her head, and smiled lightly. Atiae's jab was a bit more aggressive, just enough to tell the other female to back off, lest she "insist" Lulu join. "I am content as of right now, but thank you for the offer. But, I do wish you the best of luck."

Atiae nodded, and gave her an insincere smile. Success. "Thank you."

She then turned back to the line, and found that she was near the end. In fact, most of the group had gotten their food, and had moved to a small clearing a distance away. She sighed, and grabbed a fish. Before frowning, and getting a second. She was hungry, and she wanted the longest break she could get.

* * *

Pikachu yawned a bit, both out of boredom and sleepiness, before giving a glance skyward. The training was going well, even if Ash was being harsher than he normally was in training. Pikachu figured that Ash took the Legendary moniker as it was, and was simply going to make them work harder for it.

Ash always had the weirdest sense of proportion. A Pokemon was more impressive according to the Pokedex or legend? He'd work them that much harder, if only so they could "earn" and "deserve" the title.

And, speaking about titles...

He was genuinely surprised Atiae was still going. She was probably running off of nothing but sheer willpower by now. She must really want to impress Ash.

Too bad it was about time to end it. Pikachu really wanted to see how close Ash would get to breaking Atiae. It always happened eventually, and, with every pokemon, it was simultaneously their highest, and lowest moment.

It was when they finally realized they truly couldn't go any further. That they failed, both themselves, and Ash. And it was then that Ash showed how amazing he was, and broke down with them. He'd sit down beside them, hold them tight, and tell them how truly proud he was, all while giving genuine waterworks. It would, in the end, give them the strength to go on, and temper their will and resolution, to make it unbreakable. It was that, that made Ash's pokemon so unwilling to back down. And, it was that bond that made Pikachu so willing to follow Ash to the ends of the earth.

But, today wasn't that day, and he doubted that Ash would let it be that day, either. Atiae hadn't earned that yet. She would, one day, as would all these little hatchlings, but until that time had come, Ash would stop, the second before they were at their true limit.

But Ash would have to call it quits early today. After all, Atiae did say that they had to get to the hatchlings around two, and it was nearly that, if his guess was correct. "Hey, Ash. Let's wrap this up; we need to get going to the hatchlings."

Atiae frowned, laying flush on the ground, thanking Pikachu for his timely intervention. Turns out, floating in the air without moving for a half hour was tiring. Holding two hundred pounds of rocks? Even more-so. And Ash wanted her to have another go through, because, in his words, she was older, and could do more than the "chibi's."

She sorely regretted trying to impress him earlier. Now, it seemed that he expected her to continue with that pattern, and she didn't like that idea. In fact, she was now pretty sure Pikachu knew this in the first place, and set her up. Damn mouse.

But she wouldn't do another go, regardless of Ash's prodding. After all, she was almost certain that she wasn't sure she'd be able to make it to Pallet if she did anymore. She wasn't sure she could make it right now, in fact, but Ash didn't need to know that. His unsaid expectation and faith in her would give her the will to continue.

But, either way, tomorrow wasn't going to be fun. In fact... considering the beat down from yesterday, she doubted she'd be able to get up tomorrow morning. She'd be stiffer than a board, and she doubted Ash would be able to rouse her from wherever she lay the next day.

Which, if she was lucky, would be Ash's soft, fluffy, human bed. She was looking forward to it. If it was big enough. And, maybe, if she was lucky, she could coerce Ash into some snuggling, or something similar.

"Atiae, I think we gotta call it quits. Pikachu says it's almost time to- Are you drooling?"

The female in question jumped slightly, before rubbing her mouth with a very sore arm. Arceus, she was. "What, no, er... what?"

Ash looked at her, smirking. She looked adorable when she was embarrassed. "You were!"

"What? No!"

The male poked her, and hovered around her a bit. "Oh, you so were!"

Atiae growled a bit, and weakly rose up. She was going to deny it, regardless of Ash's prodding. "I was not."

The male spun around her once, before giving her a happy smile, and nodding. He wouldn't prod anymore. "Sure you weren't. So... You did well, today. I was impressed."

The female forced back a blush, and shook her head. As good as Ash's kind words felt, she still didn't feel like she earned them. "I didn't do all that well. Now, Pikachu said it was nearly two?"

Ash nodded. "If you say so. But, it was hard training, and you did double in all those other exercises."

Atiae pointedly ignored his praise, but took note. His praise was nice, regardless. "Then let's get going. We don't want to be late."

Ash nodded sadly, and sighed. "Alright. But, this was fun, wasn't it? I really think these little guys are gonna be really strong Lati someday."

She gave a snort, and smiled. "With you training them, of course. Now, let's get going."

Atiae then paused, and leaned in to Ash, giving him a light peck on the cheek. Ash blushed a bit at that, and looked over to the female. "What was that for?

"Nothing. Now, hurry up."

* * *

A/N So, There's the newest chapter!

Tell me if you loved it, hated it, what you want different or more of, in a review or Pm! It really helps when I have an idea of what my readers like and dislike. Allows me to tweak more accurately towards your guy's preferences.

And one last bit. I'll add some Bio's to the end of this chapter for some of the chibi's. I'd add all of them but there is twenty four, and as such, it'd be uber long.

* * *

**Name: Ji**

**Species: Changeling**

**Age:12**

**Notes: Male. Playful, energetic. Oldest of his entire family, and first born of a Council member. As such, is seen as heir.**

**Name: May**

**Species: Changeling**

**Age:11**

**Notes: Female. Tomboyish, and is clingy to her oldest sister. Youngest of thirty one.**

**Name: Abna**

**Species: Current-Chaser**

**Age:11**

**Notes: Male. Loves swimming, and is the middle child of twelve. Is best friends, and is "Paired" with, Kimmy.**

**Name: Kimmy**

**Species: Current-Chaser**

**Age:12**

**Notes: Female. Best friends since birth with Abna. Willful, and protective. Youngest of her family, but is raised by her oldest brother.**

**Name: Imi**

**Species: Shade**

**Age:8**

**Notes: Female. Youngest of the Chibi-squad, and as such, is often babied. Shy, and tends to try and stay out of conversations. Only child.**


	24. Little biters, they are

**A/N Dang, that was a lot harder then I thought it'd be. **

**So, this chapter sucks. I know it, you'll know it, and frankly, I couldn't find a way to make it suck less, and my usual method of "Work on it 'til it works" just made it meh. So... Sorry guys.**

**However, it could've been much worse, hadn't both Syrup Waffle kick my tail, and tell me what I screwed up on, and Grunt-minion help me along with ideas and such. A uber pair of thanks to the two of them. **

**So, er... Enjoy?**

* * *

As the pair moved along to their next destination, Atiae had a sudden thought. Sure, the task they had was pretty self explanatory, but she didn't know if Ash had any experience with Pokemon hatchlings. "So, Ash, do you know how to deal with hatchlings?"

The male in question gave an indifferent shrug, and Atiae frowned a bit at his apathy. She knew he could handle most Pokemon, and he proved himself capable with human children. But while most young Pokemon were simply smaller, less experienced versions of their adult selves, and humans were tiny and nearly helpless until they got older, Lati hatchlings were their own unique plethora of problems.

And while probably similar, she doubted human children could take a chunk out of a limb. At least on a spur of the moment. They needed time to plan that one out.

"I'm sure I'll figure it out. Besides, we got you there too."

Atiae smiled nervously at his implied dependence, and felt a pang of guilt. Ash was openly admitting that he depended on her knowledge, for the first time.

Too bad she knew almost as much about the children of her kind as Ash did. Sure, she knew that, compared to humans, they bit a lot more, and their fangs were usually sharper, but beyond that, she knew not much else. She actually made a point of avoiding them. They were little hellions, and every time she had to check up on the "Daycare Center" as it had came to be known, she usually left with a new bite mark or a foul temper. Usually both.

Sure, for the first couple months, they were absolutely adorable, being tiny, nearly helpless Lati, whose actions included eating, being adorable, and making tiny squeaks and coos, in that order. But the instant they got old enough to move on their own, they were worse than a cave full of Zubat. And as such, she simply decided that she was simply better off without. She already had to deal with a entire herd of whining, aggressive Lati, having to deal with ones she couldn't do anything to if they decided to bite her was simply too much. She wasn't even allowed to bite back.

She gave a sigh, before giving a small stretch, which quickly reminded of her sore back. All these thoughts about hatchlings were getting her riled up in a bad way, and her back was sore enough as it was.

"So... Do you like hatchlings, Ash?"

The male glanced over to her, before giving her a smile and a shrug. "I think so. I mean, they're basically just little dragons, right?"

Atiae shook her head in exasperation. The poor guy had no idea what he was getting into. "Not really."

Ash shrugged, and gave a apathetic nod, seemingly unconcerned. "So, where is the place we're going?"

The female sighed, and looked to the male. A small part of her wanted to keep the information to herself, just so she didn't have to worry about him rushing off, but, after getting a look at his excited expression, she decided otherwise. "It's in the northern most part of the sanctuary, mainly because it's the farthest part away from the main entrance. Keeps the hatchlings away from poachers, and more importantly, to keep them from escaping."

The male nodded, and looked over to Pikachu, who sighed. He knew exactly what Ash was planning to do.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

He quickly shot off, leaving the mouse and Atiae behind. Pikachu sighed again, and shook his head. "Impatient."

Atiae, on the other hand, grumbled a bit. Should've just kept the directions to herself.

* * *

It didn't take Ash long to find his destination. Admittedly, it was only a short jaunt away, but still.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to wait a moment."

Ash jumped slightly, and froze. He could've sworn that he'd been alone. He slowly turned, cautiously looking over in the direction of the voice, quickly spotting a semi transparent Latios. Ash gave a sigh, and rolled his eyes. He'd never get used to that. "Er, can I help you?"

The Latios didn't really say anything in response, and instead, his eyes began to glow. Ash sat there for a moment in confusion, before sighing. He had no idea what was going on. The male took one last moment, before nodding, seemingly satisfied. "Alright. You're good. Sorry for stopping you, Milord."

The Latios then floated away, leaving Ash with more questions than answers. But, after a moment, Ash simply gave a shrug, and continued. After another short moment, Ash began to hear some chirping and tiny coos. The male smiled a bit at the noise, and rushed forward, almost immediately finding his target. But, the instant Ash saw the hatchlings, he just... froze.

They were just so... tiny. Sure, the young Lati he taught were small, but... There was a difference between half his size, and small enough for him to use as a hat.

Too bad they were in some sort of cage match. He didn't know if he'd came at a bad time, or if they were normally so... Spirited.

"Can I help you?"

Ash blinked in surprise and looked over to the speaker. He'd been too engrossed by the tiny, little Lati to notice her.

He quickly shook his head, and looked over at the Latias, who was looking at him curiously. She held a pleasant smile, and Ash felt obliged to return it. "Oh, er, yeah. Atiae, er... The princess and I are going to be helping you out with watching the hatchlings. I kinda went ahead."

The female smiled a bit more, and nodded in understanding. "I understand. I mean, everyone knows how the Princess can be, and everyone also knows that she doesn't like to rush anything. But she is a female after all."

The male nodded in confusion, and the Latias smiled. "And, like any good female, she isn't the type to let a opportunity like this go to waste."

Ash blinked, his confusion only rose, and the only thing he could think to do was nod. He hadn't the slightest idea what she meant. "Er, I guess?"

The female seemed amused by his hesitation, but mirrored his nod. "Plus, It's better to figure out how to rear hatchlings early. So, I was told that you're here to help us out?"

The Sky-Dancer still didn't have any idea what she meant, but nodded again. "Er, yes?"

The female smiled a bit more, and nodded again, looking over to the large group of hatchlings, who were currently squabbling with each other under the watchful eyes of nearly a dozen assorted Lati. "Yeah, actually. You see, It's little Luumi's naptime, and she doesn't like sleeping alone. One of the other caretaker's or I would normally stay with her, but... You're here! And we're not ones to avoid using such a nice gift, especially from the princess."

Ash blinked, not expecting to be told to take a nap, nor liking the way the female sounded at the end. But, he quickly shrugged, accepting it. He looked at the small group of tiny lati, and frowned. There had to be three dozen hatchlings there, and they were still in the middle of a pretty heavy brawl. He hadn't the slightest who this "Luumi" was, and even if he did, he wasn't sure even how to go about grabbing her. "Er, which one is Luumi?"

The unnamed Latias smiled, and floated over to the mini-herd, and looked around a bit. After a moment, she shot a pair of claws into the mini battle, and plucked up a very tiny, squirming Lati from the center. Ash immediately recognized her, she was the one who was proving herself queen of the nonexistent hill. The little Latias squirmed futilely as she was lifted, squeaking irritably, and the hole she left was filled by several other hatchlings, who immediately started squabbling for the newfound space. The female struggled a bit with the tiny female, before floating back over and quickly placing the squirming hatchling in his unexpecting claws. He awkwardly grabbed the mewling Lati, and looked at the female in exasperation as he tried to reposition her.

"This is Luumi. She's one of our youngest. Normally, We'd have you help with some of the older groups, but I think the Princess would have our collective wings if we threw you into the deep end, especially on your first day."

Ash nodded, not really sure how to take that information. Besides, out of all the hatchlings, she seemed the most... Spirited. "Er, how many hatchlings are there?"

The female laughed a bit at that, and shook her head. "I think around a hundred and fifty."

Ash blinked once, before looking over to the small herd of tiny Lati. He could have sworn they said there were only six hundred Lati here. He'd have to ask Atiae later. "That is the middle aged group, most hatchlings are with their parents right now, being midday and all. The other two groups are further in."

Ash blinked again, and tried to reposition the squirming Lati in his arms. "Is she... Normally this... Squirmy?"

Another snort. "Yeah. She's one of our youngest in this group right now, but she's the most... Lively. Yeah, let's go with lively."

He nodded, and looked down to the irritable hatchling, who gave one last squeak of indignation, before looking up at him with surprising fury. He was actually offset by the anger the tiny dragon had in her glare, and he was torn between laughing and wincing. It somehow reminded him of Pikachu.

"So, I'll leave you two to bond, and, if you need help, we're only a couple hundred feet away."

Ash nodded absent mindedly, and continued looking at the angry hatchling. She continued her glare for another moment, before finally huffing, and looking away. The male couldn't help but snort in amusement. She was a fiery one.

"So... I guess we're gonna nap?"

The infant gave him a irritated scowl in return, and Ash sighed. And to think, he was normally so good with kids.

"So, er... You're Luumi, huh?"

Another irritated scowl.

"You're... cute?"

The infant didn't seem to notice his complement, nor care for his words.

The male gave one last sigh, before looking down to the mini Latias. Some Pokemon hatchlings seemed to like noises their kind made, and he'd done such things before, with Phanpy. Maybe a small coo would comfort her. He smiled a bit at the idea, and attempted to cradle her. But, before he could try anything, she quickly chomped down onto his arm.

"Ow!"

Ash quickly held the tiny Lati back at arm's length, and winced at the sight of a tiny bite mark. Sure, it was tiny compared to his arm, and his shout was more out of surprise than actual pain, but still, he didn't expect the tiny Lati to just bite him. Maybe Atiae actually had something going there when she asked him if he knew what he was doing.

He probably should've waited for her, before jumping straight in.

Oh well. He learned by doing, anyway.

He looked down irritably at the tiny lati, and he noted that she seemed rather pleased with herself. Brat. "So, you're gonna be like that, Huh?"

The hatchling gave him another angry glare in response, and Ash felt his frown slowly turn into a grin. He knew exactly what to do. "It's nap time, and that means we're gonna take a nap."

Luumi gave him a bored huff, seemingly unconcerned.

Ash smirked, and, without warning, flopped down onto his back, which earned him an indignant squeak of surprise from the little dragon. He snorted, and then rolled onto his belly, making sure to gently tuck the tiny Lati into a nook between his body and his arm. She squirmed a bit in an attempt to break free, but didn't make any headway. She was pinned.

"Naptime!"

The tiny Lati gave him another glare, and he smiled. "Now, let's play the quiet game. But I'm the world champ, you know. I bet you can't beat me."

The male then closed his eyes, and pointedly began ignoring the tiny Lati's squirming and, if the tone of her chirps and angry squeaks were heard right, death threats.

* * *

To be honest, neither Atiae or Pikachu were in any big hurry to catch up. After all, this was Ash, the guy who had kids hanging off of him every time he came across them, the one who made friends with just about every xenophobic pokemon and legendary out there, and the one who had managed to prove everyone who he directly opposed wrong. And while Pikachu couldn't help but think of Ash as a Pokemon trainer first and foremost, if he had to imagine him as anything else, he'd make a natural babysitter, for either humans, or Pokemon.

As such, the pair took a couple of minutes to catch up. Pikachu simply enjoyed the scenery, and Atiae enjoyed the respite and chance to rest. But, after a moment, Pikachu broke the silence.

"So, is there any reason why you chose the pokemon equivalent of babysitting for our last job?"

Atiae shrugged, and didn't really look over to the mouse. "Not really. I figured it'd be something that would keep Ash entertained. Sure, we could've joined a hunting group, or went on a patrol, but I doubt Ash would really enjoy either one, for obvious reasons."

The electric type nodded simply, and shrugged. "Oh. I figured it was a way to get Ash to... You know, think about kids."

The female blushed a bit at the implication, but shook her head. "Trust me, if I wanted to do that, I wouldn't have sent him to watch hatchlings."

Pikachu didn't really respond, and instead, continued walking.

The pair continued on for another moment, in silence, before entering the next little treeless area. And, the first thing either of them saw was Ash peacefully napping on the ground. Atiae felt an eye twitch, and couldn't help but shake her head in irritation. She really couldn't predict what he was going to do at any moment. Get all excited for training, and then seemingly grab some berries for a snack, or take a nap right after shooting off to watch hatchlings. It was like he had ADHD.

She couldn't help but give a sigh, and floated closer. She really hoped that he had an explanation.

"Now, that's... Something."

It took Atiae a moment to realize what Pikachu meant, and looked closer. Sure enough, Ash had a tiny, squirming Lati in the crook of his arm, who didn't seem all that happy to be there. It gave the occasional irritated squeak, and the female felt her heart melt. Now that was cute.

Ash had the tiny Latias tucked under into his left side, and the tiny Lati squirmed continuously, attempting to get out from under the elder dragon's comparatively massive arm. Its irritated squeaks and angry, yet tiny, growls brought a smile to her face, and she slowly floated closer. He looked very comfortable. Maybe he'd welcome some company.

The tiny Lati quickly noticed her, and gave her a withering glare, as if this was her fault, and Atiae almost snorted in amusement. But, once she hovered close, the tiny Hatchling tried to bite at her, and Atiae chuckled. Very well, she'd nap on his other side.

"Princess?"

Atiae paused for a moment, before tearing her gaze from Ash, and looked over at the source of the voice. "Yes?"

There was a Latias sitting there, giving the pair a rather kind smile. But, after a short moment, she gave Atiae a bow, and spoke. "Your claimed is currently preoccupied with Luumi, Milady, so... er, could I get you something? Food, or, er... Somewhere to rest?"

The Princess pondered the question for a moment, before shaking her head. "No thank you, Jaci. I am content. And, if I were to rest, it'd be beside my claimed."

The female nodded, and floated back towards the other caretakers. Atiae looked back to Ash and the objecting hatchling with a small smile. But the moment was quickly killed by Pikachu.

"So, you like what you see?"

Atiae sighed, and rolled her eyes. Apparently, it was time for another sparring match. "Yes. I do."

Pikachu nodded apathetically, and looked back to the female. "You like the children, or you like Ash?"

She knew the answer, but didn't bother responding. The honest answer was a complete mix of the two, but she wasn't going to give Pikachu the pleasure of her sparring with him.

There was a small pause, before Pikachu spoke again, this time taking a softer tone. "You know, you did a pretty good job today."

She didn't expect that. She turned towards the starter, and raised a speculative eyebrow. So far, all Pikachu did to her was poke, prod, and irritate, and he still had yet to give a genuine reason why. The mouse was an enigma, and it would be so much easier if she knew what he was trying to do, be it stop her, or trying in his own twisted way, to help her.

But she was used to it. After all, she was no stranger to someone doing her harm by trying to "Help" her, namely Lorip.

"What do you mean?"

The mouse smiled at her, and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe, "Good Job?"

The mouse then made an overexaggerated thinking pose, and frowned. "Hmm, maybe I didn't make it clear enough, with the whole, "Good job" part. Tell me, was it the "Good", or the "Job" part that confused you?"

The female scowled slightly at that, and shook her head, looking away. The electric type smiled, and shrugged apathetically. "Sometimes, when someone says "good job" they actually mean "good job."

Pikachu gave a single pause, and smiled again. "So, again, good job, and keep it up."

She frowned, and looked over, but the mouse didn't say anything else. She frowned angrily, and shook her head. Yesterday, the mouse would tell her that she wasn't remotely good enough for Ash, the next, he'd say she was doing well. The electric type was as sporadic as they came, and yet, she still felt that she was constantly being played.

"I will."

The starter gave her another smile, and looked over to hatchling pinned under Ash's large arm. "So, are they normally that small?"

Atiae nodded, looking back at the scene. "I guess. We're kind of like humans and other dragons like that. When we hatch, we're quite small."

Pikachu nodded, and looked back over to Ash. "Cute."

"Yes."

The pair then sat in silence for a moment, watching the small Latias slowly lose her fighting spirit. After another moment, she seemingly accepted her lot in life, and closed her eyes with a seeming huff, as if she was still trying to make a point. But, after a couple moments, Luumi slowly drifted off into sleep, and the pair smiled as she kinda curled up into Ash's side. But, not even a minute later, Ash's eyes opened, and he looked down at the tiny hatchling in his arm. "She got guts, I'll give her that. But, I told her I'd win."

Pikachu smiled at that, and rolled his eyes. Ash was as stubborn as they came.

"So..." The male said, stretching his back a bit, still holding the hatchling close, "It's awesome that you two are finally getting along."

Pikachu didn't seemed too surprised that Ash overheard them, and shrugged. Atiae, on the other hand, was just happy that she didn't say anything too harsh or rude to the starter. "So... Now what?"

Atiae smiled a bit, and shook her head. "Well, you are probably gonna sit there, holding her, until it's time for her to wake up."

Ash's face fell a bit, and Pikachu chuckled. "Hey, you were the one who wanted to rush ahead. Take a nap, practice your abysmal math skills, or something. You're on your own."

The young dragon's face fell somewhat, before he looked back down to the now sleeping hatchling he held in his arm. "You know, now that she's asleep, she's pretty cute."

Both Pikachu and Atiae nodded in agreement, and after a moment, Atiae spoke. "So, I think I'll join you in a nap."

Ash blinked, but, after a moment, nodded. "Alright? Pikachu, you're free to join us."

The mouse smiled, and shrugged in return. "Why not."

Atiae then floated over, and snuggled up into Ash's free side, and closed her eyes. Almost immediately after, she was asleep.

Ash noticed this. "Wow, she was tired."

"What do you expect, after both the fight yesterday, and you trying to push her harder than everyone else?"

The male winced, and sighed. "Yeah... I should've toned it back a bit."

The starter nodded, and crawled up onto Ash's head. "Yep. Now, shut up, I'mma nap."

The male rolled his eyes, and smiled. A nap did sound good.

* * *

"Get her off! Get her off!"

Ash winced at the sight, and quickly grabbed the small hatchling, who was currently biting Pikachu's tail for a third time, and pulled her free from the electric type's appendage. She was a clawful. Pikachu sighed in relief, and shook his head, and glared at the tiny Lati, who was still glaring at him.

"You're a little monster."

The lati in question chirped once, and huffingly looked away. Pikachu followed suit, and Ash sighed.

"What am I gonna do with you?"

The hatchling looked up to him, and gave him a innocent smile, and he rolled his eyes. He fell for that once, he wasn't gonna fall for that again. "No. You bit Pikachu. Now apologize."

Luumi just continued staring at Ash innocently, and he groaned. How do you teach right and wrong to something that can't really understand you?

"Well, Ash. It's about time we get going, if we're gonna make it to Pallet tonight. Say goodbye to miss Bites-a-lot."

Ash smiled at the teasing name, and rolled his eyes. If he was honest with himself, she wasn't that bad. She just hated Pikachu. And wasn't too fond of Atiae. But she hadn't bit him in almost an hour, so he considered that a win.

"Alright. Well, goodbye Luumi. I guess I'll see you again, later?"

The hatchling continued staring blankly, but she gave a cheerful little chirp. Ash forced down a smile; she seemed to be in a good mood every time she bit something.

"So, er, what's that Latias' name again?"

Atiae smiled. "Jaci."

"Alright. We need to return Luumi to her."

The Princess gave a simple nod, and Ash smiled back. The trio made their way towards the group of other caretakers, and Ash quickly spotted the Lati in question. "Oh, er, Jaci!"

Jaci floated over, and gave the trio another kind smile. "So, she's done with her nap?"

Ash gave a tired nod. "A while ago, yeah. She really liked biting Pikachu."

Atiae snorted. It was the mouse's fault, seeing as he literally hung his tail in front of the tiny Lati when he took his nap.

Jaci smiled a bit more at that, and Ash offered her the tiny Lati, who was squirming again. Jaci simply plucked her up, and held the squabbling hatchling at a distance. "She seems to like you a bit. Maybe you should come over again, and help with her and the others."

Ash almost agreed, before Atiae interrupted. "We'll think about it. Thank you for your time, Jaci."

The Latias bowed respectively, and floated away with Luumi.

"So, let's get going to Pallet."

Ash nodded excitedly, and shot up a dozen feet into the air, before freezing. "Er, which way is Johto again?"

* * *

**A/N Bleh, that was garbage. But, it's finally over, and we can start moving to Pallet town! **

**Feel free to Leave a review, or send me a PM telling me what you liked, and what you didn't, along with any questions! I love answering them when I can. **

* * *

**Name: Dilm**

**Species: Changeling**

**Age:12**

**Notes: Female. She was adopted by a pair of shades, and, as such, has higher then average stealth skills. Has a crush on Ji.**

**Name: Foma**

**Species: Current Chaser**

**Age:14**

**Notes: Male. The oldest of the Chibi-Squad, and almost considered an adult. Single child, and raised by his mother. Father has passed away.**

**Name: Kin**

**Species: Current Chaser**

**Age:10**

**Notes: Female. Aggressive, and strong willed, she has a minor crush on Ash, who she sees as really strong.**

**Name: Han**

**Species: Shade**

**Age:13**

**Notes: Male. Orphan, he is raised by the "system" and as such, has few positive role models. As such, has hero worship in Atiae and Ash, who he sees as the "perfect" Lati.**


	25. Pallet or bust

**A/N Here's this week's chapter! Er, I don't got much to say, so... let's get started! **

**A big thanks to Syrup-Waffle, who Betas like a champ!**

* * *

"So... We, er, take a left here. I think."

Ash groaned at the hesitation his starter had, and irritably leaned up against the nearest tree. He knew where to go, and, no matter what he said, the electric type ignored him. "Pikachu! I swear, I know an actual shortcut!"

The electric mouse shook his head in complete disagreement, and sighed. Ash always knew a shortcut, but it was never to where he actually wanted to go. And, a while back, he might have actually listened to his trainer, but years of experience taught him that that way lead to madness. "Ash, you never know a shortcut. I know it, she knows it, heck, even you know it."

"But..."

"Do I have to tell her about our first trip through Kanto?"

The male dragon went silent at that, before sighing in irritation and leaning back into the tree. Sure, he got them lost... er, twelve times. But he got better, didn't he? He sat there for a moment, sulking, before a thought came to mind. Atiae was his claimed, right? So, she'd probably agree with him. That's what's couples did, right?

"Atiae? You believe me, right?"

The female sighed, and shook her head. She knew of his sense of direction personally, and frankly, she didn't believe him. "No. Not really."

Ash frowned a bit, and mumbled something under his breath.

Atiae noticed his grumbling, and rolled her eyes in amusement, before giving him a small affectionate nuzzle. He'd get over it, and frankly, she was sure that he knew his track record was sketchy. He wouldn't take it to heart.

She then looked over to Pikachu, and waited a moment for his verdict. Sure, Ash had walked through all of Johto too, but Pikachu had a better track record. Ash wasn't one for directions, and that much was made clear, even with their limited time spent together. After all, even during their first meeting, she had to lead him back to his friends, and after her brother's passing, whenever he left the group, she ended up having to hunt him down and find him. And he always showed up in the most unlikely places, claiming that he was looking for a shortcut.

Sure, having to hunt him down was a great distraction, but still, the fact didn't give her much faith in him in such matters.

But, after a minute or so, her patience waned, and she looked at the starter in mild irritation. "Pikachu? Which way? Need I remind you, we only have a couple hours before nightfall."

The mouse rolled his eyes, and shook his head. Impatient dragons. "You're as bad as Ash. Give me a sec. Need I remind you, that I haven't been here in three years, and I don't wanna repeat the mistake that took us halfway across the stinkin' planet."

The female sighed, and nodded. Sure, said mistake worked out in her favor, but she doubted that any others would continue to do so. "Alright, alright."

Pikachu pondered another moment, before finally smiling. "Alright. So, we need to continue... Er, this is Violet city, I'm pretty sure. So many stinking birds. Er, so... We just follow the road we're on, until we hit a mountain. We went through it, but I guess we'll just go over it, because we can fly, and all, and there'll be a road on the other side. Then, we'll follow that to little tree town-"

"Little bark town."

"Fine, Ash, Little bark, and we'll just follow that road until we hit some ocean or something. After that, we just follow the coast until we hit Kanto. And once we're there, Ash'll be able to figure out how to get home."

Ash smiled excitedly at that, and Atiae frowned worriedly. "Er, you were just saying that Ash is horrible with directions. Is that a good idea?"

Pikachu shrugged. "Ash knows Kanto like the back of his hand at this point, and even then, it's pretty small. I think we'd have to try and get ourselves lost to manage it. But that's up to the two of you to decide. I just follow Ash on whatever stupid adventure he gets sucked into. I guess that would cover elopement."

Atiae nodded, and pointedly ignored the jab. "Ok, back to the sky?"

Pikachu nodded. "Yep. And, I think I'll ride on you this time, if that's alright. Ash loves his acrobatics, and I've been wondering what he'll try without me actually being on his back."

"Alright, I guess." She honestly wasn't too happy with the idea, but she'd long since passed the point where that influenced her decisions. Besides, a happy Ash was an affectionate Ash, and she did like thatidea.

"Awesome! So, let's go!"

The male excitedly lifted off a bit, and Atiae smiled fondly. His energy was contagious.

"So, come on, guys! The quicker I get home, the faster I can tell mom I'm still alive, and we can sort this whole thing out!"

Atiae nodded, and looked back to her newest passenger. "Alright. Pikachu?"

The mouse nodded questioningly.

"I'd say hold on, but... well; I doubt you'd be able to."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow, and frowned.

"So, relax, I guess. We'll be there in ten minutes, and I'll be the one holding you."

Pikachu didn't like the sound of that.

* * *

"Whoooooo~ Hoooooo!"

Atiae looked over to Ash, and grimaced a bit, feeling somewhat self conscious. She was barely keeping up, and Ash... he was doing stunts, flips, and dives, all the while keeping his speed. She felt the need to frown out of irritation, out of jealousy, but she forced the feeling down. Sure, while she had been a Lati for considerably longer, she never had been one for random, high speed flights. And she had tried, if only because, after her brother passed and Ash left, she was left with a massive amount of free time, and no one to spend it with. Patrols could only take up so much time, and frankly, she did end up neglecting her duties for a while after her brother passed. But after a while of trying new ways to pass the time, she found that practicing her psychic skills was a much more enjoyable distraction, and her flying practice fell to the wayside because of it.

On the bright side, though, all of her practice gave her massive reserves for a changeling. That was probably the only reason why she was still conscious, let alone flying.

Besides, Ash earned the right to be better than her at something, and she could live with being slower than him. The male already had too much energy as it was, it'd be par the course. The male could never just keep still.

She quickly looked back to Pikachu, and she found her thoughts mellowing a bit, and she smiled in amusement. The mouse was currently held in a form fitting bubble of psychic energy, and, while form fitting, was probably not the most comfortable sensation, seeing as it screwed with his sense of balance and weight. But, on the bright side, it was soundproof, on the grounds of keeping any high speed winds from deafening the mouse.

A handy little Sky-Dancer trick taught to her by Lorip, but she never expected to actually be able to use it. After all, she didn't expect to break the speed of sound anytime soon.

"Ash! How close to Pallet are we!?"

The male, who had been in the middle of a corkscrew, took a moment to level out, before looking over to her. At least he was enjoying himself. "Well... I think we just past Viridian city, so... I think a couple minutes, tops!"

Atiae gave a nod, and looked forward, her sigh lost in the heavy winds. She couldn't wait for the claim to be finalized. Then, she could easily just use telepathy, instead of sharing high speed screaming matches.

Her second sigh was also lost, and she decided to look down, and noticed the sea of bright green. She smiled a bit at the sight, and just took it all in. In a way, she was fulfilling her dream of leaving Altomare with Ash, if only for a day. Might as well enjoy it.

She caught Ash doing a small dive out of the corner of her eye, and waited for his return. Sure enough, he appeared on her other side, wearing a massive smile.

"I can't wait to introduce you to everyone! Er... Bayleef might not be happy, but everyone else will love ya!"

The female gave a nod, and smiled. She was looking forward to meeting them all, as well. Sure, she knew a few of them, including said Bayleef, but still, if they were Ash's pokemon, they'd probably be extremely pleasant.

And terrifyingly powerful. She'd have to get used to that one.

"I'm looking forward to meeting them too!"

Ash smiled a bit more at that, and nodded happily. He then looked around a bit, before making a pointing gesture to the ground. "Let's land here!"

Atiae gave a simple nod, and followed the male, making a point to land as eloquently as she could. Sure, he could fly faster, but she still had all the experience and muscle memory to be graceful. But, to her mild irritation, she noted that Ash matched her landing. Boy was a natural, and now, she was starting to understand why Lorip told her she'd never out-fly a Sky-Dancer. "So, why are we landing here?"

Ash shrugged, and gave a nostalgic smile. "Well... It probably sounds silly, but I always walk down this road, every time I get home. I just wanted to... do it again, ya know? It's tradition, huh Pikachu?"

The male waited for the starter's response, but none came.

"I said, huh, Pikachu?"

More silence and Atiae found herself worrying that she somehow dropped both her passenger, and Ash's best friend. She just couldn't manage to do anything right when Ash was around.

"Pikachu?"

Atiae hesitantly looked onto her back, and almost immediately blushed in embarrassment. She was still shielding him, and she somehow didn't recall this fact. She quickly released the field, and the mouse gave her a glare.

"You know how uncomfortable that is? It's like falling in a soundless void for almost a half hour."

She could do nothing but blush. She truly was near the end of her limit. "Sorry."

The mouse gave her a glare, before sighing. "Fine. Ok. Now, er, what were you saying? When I said soundless void, I actually meant it."

Ash smiled a bit, and shrugged. "She said you needed it, and, we were flying really fast compared to how we flew earlier. But, er, I said that walking down this road was tradition. right, Pikachu?"

The mouse nodded a bit, and gave a similar, nostalgic smile. "Yeah. Man, this brings back memories."

The pair simply sat there for a moment, recalling the fond memories, and Atiae couldn't bring herself to interrupt the pair. But, after a moment, Ash gave a final sigh, and nodded. "Well... Pikachu, Let's go home."

The mouse gave a single nod, and started moving forward. Atiae watched them for a moment, before sighing. "Er... Ash, forgetting something?"

The male spun around, and blushed. "Oh, er, sorry. You can come too, Atiae."

The female felt slightly offended at the comment, but shook her head. "Not that, but thank you."

Ash paused, before scratching his head. He had no idea what she was hinting towards. "Er..."

Atiae rolled her eyes, and floated closer, putting a claw on his shoulder. "I seem to recall that you are, as of right now, a legendary pokemon, about to float into a human town?"

The male nodded, before scrunching his face up in confusion. She did have a point there. "Er... Yeah?"

"And, I seem to recall that I have the ability to make you look less... catchable, correct?"

Ash's mouth made a small "o", before nodding excitedly. "Oh yeah! Pikachu, Atiae can make me human again!"

"Make you look human, Ash."

"Er, yeah. That."

The mouse thought for a moment, before nodding. Atiae did prove herself able to do that pretty easily, two years ago. But he didn't understand why this was being told as if it was completely earth shattering news. "Alright. Let's see it."

Atiae nodded, before looking to Ash, who simply smiled. She took that as approval, and started pooling her energy into the technique.

'Arceus, I'm nearly completely empty.'

She paused a bit, before steeling her resolve. Ash was counting on her. She took solace in that, and began focusing her energy on both her and Ash, making sure to weave the illusion as delicately as she could. She'd have to make it considerably more thorough, and, as an added difficulty, completely conscious, both to avoid energy waste and to keep Ash's most likely eagle eyed pokemon from noticing errors, but, she'd manage. She took an extra moment out of exhaustion, before finally casting the illusion out. The energy covered both her and Ash, and she let out a sigh of relief. She did it.

Now, she'd have to maintain it.

Joy.

Pikachu gave a moment to look both Ash and "Bianca" over, and slowly nodded in approval. "That's pretty good. Sure, Ash is taller now, and he doesn't use that hat anymore, but besides that, it's almost perfect."

Atiae grimaced a bit, and nodded. Inadequate. She prepared to recast the illusion, but the mouse held a paw up. "It'll do. Honestly, I doubt I'd notice right away if I didn't already know about it. It'll hold for everyone else. Er, it should, anyway."

Atiae let out a sigh of relief, and smiled. She honestly didn't know if she would've managed. "So, we're gonna walk?"

Both Ash and Pikachu nodded. "Yep. So, let's go!"

Both Ash and Pikachu started off in an excited run, and Atiae rolled her eyes. Of course. She immediately ran after the pair, and forced the small pebble of worry in her gut down. Things will work out.

After all, Ash said they would. What reason did she have to doubt him?

Her first impression of the town was that it was quaint. It seemed more like a small collection of houses with several neighboring farms, and, while there was a main street with a small shop and a restaurant, there wasn't much more beyond that.

"So, er... Ash, where's your house?'

The male looked back to her, and gave her a happy, peaceful smile. "Near the end of the road. My mom owns the restaurant and runs it, but she always works in the morning. She'd be home right now."

Atiae gave a small nod, and continued looking around. "So, we're going straight to your house?"

He gave her a nod. "Yep. And after that, we should go to the Pokemon Ranch, and talk with professor Oak. He's probably worried, too. If... Er, Iris and Cilan got to Lacunosa, anyway. They did say it'd take a week... And I think it's only been, What? Four days? Five?"

Pikachu frowned a bit. "Four. But I'd think they'd rush, and they said five days, not seven. Best to assume that they made it to a Pokemon center, or somebody's house."

Ash gave a solemn nod, and sighed. "Alright. So, let's get home, and tell mom I'm ok!"

He shot forward at that, and both Atiae and Pikachu were forced to run to keep up. But, after a minute of running, they came up to the last house on the road. Ash slowed down a bit, and smiled at the sight of it. The living room lights were on.

"Mom, I'm home!"

Ash rushed to the front door, and pushed it open, causing a wince from both Pikachu and Atiae. Not the most subtle, careful approach.

And, the first thing he saw was a very surprised Mr. Mime. Ash smiled brightly at the sight of the Pokemon, and grinned. "Mimey!"

Mimey got a single look at Ash, before smacking him upside the head with a broom, surprising Atiae. Ash tumbled backwards, and Pikachu rushed in. "Mimey! Wait-"

Pikachu too, was struck with the mighty cleaning utensil, and he was sent flying out of the room. Atiae wasn't sure if it was because the mouse allowed it, or, if the Mr. Mime was one of Ash's well trained pokemon, but she immediately rushed into the building, placing herself between Ash and the now attacking Mimey. "Wait!"

Mimey didn't immediately attack, looking at her in both surprise and confusion, and paused for a moment, before deciding to instead hold the broom threateningly. "I don't know you."

Atiae nodded nervously, and stared at the angry Mr. Mime. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Pikachu slink back in, obviously irritated. But she ignored the fact, and instead focused on the Mr. Mime. "Yes. Er, why are you attacking us?"

Mimey blinked, before glaring at Ash. "That... Idiot. You know what he did?"

Atiae paused, before nodding slightly. "Er... I think so."

The Psychic mime frowned a bit, and shook its head. "Well, the instant she heard, his mother ran off to look for him. And now, here he is, all safe and sound, showing up like everything was alright!"

Ash slowly rose to his feet, and looked in surprise at Mimey. "Mom left?! Where'd she go?"

Mimey looked back to Ash, and frowned, still very unhappy with the illusioned boy. "I don't know. She told me to watch the house. Didn't expect you to just show up."

Ash sighed, and clenched his hands angrily. Of course his mom would run off the second she heard that he was missing. He thought for a way to tell her he was ok, and quickly felt a surge of hope. "Did she bring her Pokegear?"

Mimey shook its head. "No. She made a point not to grab it, actually. I don't know why."

The male slumped down a bit with a groan, and Atiae looked over at him, before kneeling down beside him. "Ash?"

He didn't react, and Atiae sighed. Pikachu moved forward, and put a paw on his shoulder. "Ash. Your Mom is look for you. That means she still thinks you're alive."

Ash seemed to take some solace in that. "Yeah... I guess."

Pikachu smiled lightly at the human-turned-Latios, and patted him again. "It'll work out. Besides, we still have some other options." The mouse then looked over to the irate pokemon, and spoke. "So... Mr. Mime?'

Mimey looked over angrily to Pikachu, and huffed, obviously quite angry. "It's Missus Mr. Mime to you."

Pikachu paused a moment, caught flatfooted. He honestly thought Mr. Mime was male. "Er... Missus Mr. Mime? I think Ash needs some time, so... We're gonna go see his Pokemon. Do you have a problem with this?"

Mimey didn't immediately respond, but after a moment, she sighed, before giving a nod. "As long as you come back here to this house before nightfall, then no."

Pikachu nodded in agreement. "We will. But, er, if it's alright with you, could we stay the night as well?"

Mimey raised an eyebrow, but nodded, and replied tersely. "As if you had a choice. I will prepare both the guest room, and Ash's."

Atiae opened her mouth to object, but Pikachu interrupted her. "Thank you, Missus Mr. Mime."

The female fairy type nodded, before sighing. She then rushed forward, past both Pikachu and Atiae, and wrapped Ash into a large hug. "I am very glad you're ok, Master Ash. And... I'm sure your mother will be as well. Once she, well, calms down."

Ash froze a bit, before awkwardly returning the hug. "Er... I'm glad you're ok too?"

Mimey smiled a bit at that, and wiped a few tears away from her eyes. "Your mother will be so relieved when she gets back home."

Ash smiled a bit, and nodded. "Er... Do you know-"

"No, but she will come back. She has faith in you, and you just need to have faith in her."

Ash smiled, and wiped a tear of his own from his eye. "Alright."

"So, you go see your Pokemon, and I'll have some dinner and a warm bed set up for all of you."

Ash nodded, and stood back up. "Thanks, Mimey."

The male then stepped back out of the door, and both Pikachu and Atiae prepared to follow him. But, before they got anywhere, Mimey spoke again. "But, before you go, I have something to say, to your...friend."

The trio froze in place, and Atiae nervously looked over to the female Mime. "Er... Yes?"

Mimey smiled a bit, and shrugged. "It's not my place, so I won't say much, but... Keep him safe, and don't do anything you wouldn't do in front of your mother."

Atiae blinked once, before nodding. Her own people couldn't tell when someone had a literal and very clear claim on someone half the time, and a random Mr. Mime notices it immediately. Figures. "Er... Ok?"

The Mime then nodded, and waved. "Now, you three have fun with all the other pokemon, and come home soon. I'll have dinner ready."

Ash nodded, and walked out the door, forcing the other two to follow.

"So... Let's go see my pokemon."

Both Pikachu and Atiae nodded at that, and followed as he started walking back down the street. But, after a minute, Atiae spoke. "So... where is the Pokemon Ranch?"

Pikachu looked over to the female, and smiled lightly. "Just down the street. I think you'll gonna fit right in. Half of them are almost as crazy as you."

Atiae gave the mouse a glare at the jab, but after a moment, she nodded nervously. She never was one to try and converse with others, especially seeing as she was technically the superior of all the Lati in Altomare. She didn't need their approval, and she quickly found that she couldn't please anyone. But now, she was on roughly equal terms with the ones she was about to meet, and more importantly, they were Ash's pokemon. She needed their approval, at least marginally.

She sighed, and looked over to Ash. He was worth it though.

She stared lightly at the still saddened male, and sighed. He was still down, and she felt the urge to comfort him. But how?

She continued staring for a moment, before deciding to simply wrap an arm around his shoulder. She didn't have any words, or anything to do, so... that was all she had to give.

He didn't immediately react, but after a moment, he looked over to her, and smiled weakly. She returned the gesture, and internally sighed. For the first time, she was wishing for Pikachu to simply cheer him up. It hurt to see the boy so... down, and she knew that she had no real way to comfort him, beyond physical affection.

Being useless sucked.

The trio continued walking for several quiet minutes, before finally arriving at the Pokemon research center. The building was pretty average looking, and while it was large, it seemed much too small for what it held.

"So... How are we gonna do this? Because... well, It's Professor Oak. If he figures out that Ash transformed into a pokemon, We might as well just say go home, because Ash's gonna be poked and prodded like no one's business."

Ash shrugged apathetically, and Atiae blinked. She honestly didn't know anything about this Professor Oak to determine a thought out plan. "Er... We could say he's lost his voice?"

Pikachu nodded a bit, looking rather unimpressed. "Ok... Any other ideas?"

Ash shrugged. "Well... we could try that."

Pikachu rolled his eyes, and sighed. Of course Ash would accept that plan. "Ok. Let's just get this over with."

Atiae paused, before looking over at the electric type. He seemed to be skipping an important step. "Er, Pikachu? What about Ash's other pokemon?"

The mouse looked at her, and smiled. "Trust me, with all the antics we've been through, all Ash has to do is act like himself, and no one would question him. Besides, I'm with him. That's, like, proof right there."

Atiae rolled her eyes at the statement, but gave a nod nonetheless. "Alright. So, let's go."

The trio opened the doors, and almost immediately, a black and gold pokemon moved its eyes onto them. Pikachu immediately noticed the Pokemon, and his expression changed from irritation, to horror.

"Crap."

Atiae blinked in confusion at the mouse's expression, before noticing the pokemon. She grimaced, and gave an internal sigh. Of course.

"Atiae... drop the illusion."

The female winced a bit, and prepared to do so, but she was interrupted by Ash.

"What? Why?"

Pikachu grimaced, and gave a gesture to the front desk, and, more importantly, the now angry looking Umbreon, who was staring coldly at them. Ash blinked, still not understanding the problem. "Er... Why's she mad?"

Atiae frowned, and quickly forced the illusion away. The pair quickly resumed their Lati forms, and Ash quickly let out an exclamation of surprise. The Umbreon, however, calmed down a bit, and her pose relaxed.

"Hello, er, Umbre."

The female's glare lessened a bit at the nick-name, but she still looked rather unhappy. "Why, hello, Pikachu. It's nice to hear from you again, after... I don't know, almost a year? How long has it been since that time in Sinnoh?"

Pikachu grimaced at the cold, angry tone, and Atiae found herself rather lost. She looked over to Ash, who simply gave her a very confused shrug. "Er... You know how it is... I follow my trainer, and where he goes, I go."

The Umbreon rolled her eyes at that, and stepped a few steps close. "You seem to forget that I am, too, a trainer's Pokemon. But, I have the distinct memory that your trainer calls Gary about... I don't know... every couple weeks? Surely, a hello would suffice?"

Pikachu looked rather guilty at that, and both Atiae and Ash looked at him in further confusion. "Er... Sorry."

The female didn't seem very moved by the apology, but nodded. "I know you're sorry. You always were back then, and you've always been since."

Pikachu winced painfully at the jab, and the pair of dragons looked from Pikachu to the female in bewilderment.

"But, that is neither here, nor there. We'll discuss this later." The female then turned her eyes to the pair of dragons, and frowned. "Now... I don't appreciate you impersonating my trainer's best friend. Please refrain from doing so in the future. I do understand your kind's plight, but there are many more humans you can use as a template, and barging in using a psychic disguise of a friend is a terrible way to greet a dark type."

Both Ash and Atiae found themselves nodding, and Umbreon walked closer. "So, I take it your trainer left these two in your care? Because, if I recall, he's currently missing, and we both know you'd neverwillingly leave his side, nor leave him in such a state." She looked over at Ash as she said this.

Pikachu nodded desperately, and both Ash and Atiae found themselves at a loss of what to do. "Yes, er... they are both Ash's other pokemon, and... well, he sent me with them to make sure they got somewhere safe."

Umbreon looked over the two, and nodded in approval. "Only Ash could manage to capture a pair of legendaries, and yet have no one know of it. But, they're extremely green. I take it Ash went missing before he could train them?"

Both Atiae and Ash winced a bit at the jab at their "skills", and Pikachu nodded weakly. "Er, kinda. But, er, I was just stopping here to introduce them to Ash's other Pokemon, and... to tell everyone that Ash is fine and everything."

Umbreon paused at that, and looked to the starter. "So, you do know that he is, in fact, well?"

"Yep! But, er... he isn't, not really. Let's just say he's doing what Ash does best. But he's safe. I can guarantee that."

The female eeveelution nodded in simple agreement at that, and smiled at the mouse. "I am glad to hear. However, I am to assume that he's... unavailable?"

Pikachu nodded quickly at that, and Atiae noticed her staring at Ash. "Yeah. But he's... safe."

Umbreon paused at that, but nodded and looked away. "Very well. I would tell Gary, but... He seemed to have run off, along with just about all of Ash's friends."

Pikachu frowned a bit at the news, but, if all of Ash's friends knew he was missing, it was to be expected. They would move heaven and earth for him. However, that raised a different question. "And... why are you still here, then?"

The female dark-type frowned lightly, and looked away. "I am currently, as you would say, "holding down the fort." Both Tracy and my trainer ran off to find yours, and all the other assistants do not know how to properly run this facility. But, in a twist of cruel irony, I do."

Pikachu almost laughed at that. But, simply out of a sense of self preservation, he held it in. "You're helping run the facility?"

"No, I am officially in charge of it. Do not ask how irritatingly pointless and difficult it is to lead those who don't speak your tongue. Not all are blessed like you are, who are lucky enough to have a trainer that understands our language so easily."

Pikachu blinked once, but nodded. "Er... I guess that'd be a problem."

The dark type nodded, before frowning lightly. "But, regardless. You are free to visit your trainer's other Pokemon, which I am sure you are here to do. The news of his safety will calm them, and that'll make my job considerably easier, especially sense many of them can help me with the lab. But, once you're finished calming Ash's lesser pokemon, meet me here. Alone. We have a great many things to discuss, and a great many problems to sort out. And we will do that, tonight."

The female then turned, and walked around the corner. "Do not make me hunt you down. Neither of us would enjoy that."

The trio waited in silence for a moment, before Pikachu finally let out a breath. "Whew. She is pissed."

Atiae rolled her eyes at that. "How could you tell?"

The electric type looked over to Atiae, and frowned. "Because, shut up. Now, we have Pokemon to talk to. Let's go."

* * *

**A/N So, there's the chapter! Er... Still don't got much to say, but, if you liked the chapter, or had some complaints, then feel free to leave a review or send a PM telling me what you thought! I'll try to respond as soon as I can!**

* * *

Name: Huu

Species: Current Chaser

Age:12

Notes: Female. Twin of Filh, oldest.

Name: Filh

Species: Current Chaser

Age:11

Notes: Female. Twin of Huu, younger of the pair.

Name: Jal

Age: 13

Species: Shade

Notes: Male. Elder Brother of Huu and Filh. Only shade of the family.

Name: Jake

Age: 10

Species: Changeling

Notes: Female. Named after her mother's trainer, who passed away protecting her egg.


	26. Under Pressure

**A/N So, here's the newest chapter! It's got tons of fun things, meh things, boring things, and... well, thing things!**

**And, not only that, but I got five hundred reviews!**

**... Almost. I actually got 499, but I figured I'd celebrate now, instead of later, just because of how excited I am! I mean, I expected, at most, to have half that by this point, but nooooo, you guys had to be all awesome, and had to shatter all of my expectations! **

**Thank you all. Honestly, I didn't expect to get this far, period, let alone barely starting off. **

**So, this chapter is dedicated to you all, and it has been fixed up by the awesome Syrup-Waffle, and poked and prodded by the amazing Thegrunt22!**

**So, without further adieu, let's get this started!**

* * *

As the trio slowly floated towards the opening of the paddock, Atiae suddenly felt a huge rush of self consciousness. Was she clean? Were her feathers alright? She gave herself a short little look over, and she didn't seem too out of place. You know, for someone who hadn't preened, groomed, or bathed for a couple weeks.

She winced, and started trying to quickly smooth out her feathers with a weak psychic field. Sure, she was dangerously close to being completely empty, but she needed to be presentable. These were Ash's pokemon, and she needed to make the best impression she could. She smoothed out her feathers a bit, and took a sniff, wincing at the smell of sweat. She needed to bathe.

She looked for a water source as they moved on, but, to her disappointment, there was none. She pondered simply weaving an illusion that masked her scent, but the instant she tried to weave one up, her energy sputtered, making her freeze. She didn't have enough energy to make another illusion, and all the energy she had left was what she needed just to stay afloat. And even that was barely holding on as it was.

Crap.

She let loose a sigh, and looked morosely at the ground. She was at her literal limit, and it was a very unfamiliar and unwanted feeling.

Atiae didn't say anything for a moment after that, and instead followed Ash and Pikachu quietly, mentally berating herself for pushing herself so far for such little reason, especially when she was needed so much. She endangered Ash, just so she could make herself look better.

"You alright, Atiae?"

The female looked up to Ash, and sighed. She couldn't tell him her problems, not now. She'd just have to stall until she rested a bit. "Yeah. Just, well... Tired."

Ash nodded at that, and gave her a smile. "Yeah, me too. We'll make this quick. After all, we still have tomorrow to see everyone, and it's already late as it is."

Atiae nodded a bit at that, and stretched her still stiff back, earning a curious look from Ash. Hopefully, this wouldn't end in a fiasco. "Alright."

The trio continued for another uneventful minute before arriving at the entrance to Ash's Paddock. Sure enough, it held the name "Ketchum" on the sign, and it looked as if Ash managed to get some prime land. Atiae couldn't help but wonder if it was because he was so successful, or just because his Professor liked him a lot.

While Atiae stared at the area around them, Pikachu casually looked over to the pair of dragons. This would be his third attempt to convince others of Ash's current... problem, and he was determined to make sure that this time, there was no mistakes. "Alright, this is how it's gonna go. You two just wait here. Do whatever you want, just don't leave. I'll tell everyone everything, from Ash being a Pokemon, to your little whatever this is, and that Latia- Er, Atiae, is here with us, and is... I don't even know anymore."

The mouse sighed, and put a paw to his head. At this rate, his electric sacks were going to overcharge from the stress. "Don't leave, don't follow me, don't get bored and run off chasing a passing Butterfree, just... stay here. Do whatever you want, I don't care what, just don't leave this spot."

Pikachu then turned to leave, before turning back around. "Ash, pop quiz. What are you not supposed to do?"

Ash simply rolled his eyes in response. His starter always had a flair for the dramatic. "Don't leave?"

The electric type nodded in approval, and gave the pair a large smile. "Very good. Now, stay, roll over, and I'll be back in hopefully a minute."

Pikachu then turned back around, and walked off. After he managed to get into the paddock's tall grass, Atiae slumped into the surprisingly comfortable ground, and looked over to Ash coyly. "Are you sure _you're_ the trainer?"

* * *

Pikachu calmly walked away from the paddock's gate, and quickly brought up a mental map. It was nearing winter, so... they'd probably be near the southern pond. It got the most light, and hey, it was the heated pond. It was warmer than everywhere else. He wandered through the tall grass in the direction of said pond, and mentally went over his "plan".

Find Bulbasaur, Find Noctowl, and have them basically hold everyone hostage until he could explain the situation. If he knew everyone, and he was pretty sure he did, then, they'd all be about to jump ship anyway.

If Ash was really missing, he'd do the same thing. But, Ash was here, safe, and all he really had to do was explain that to nearly a hundred angry, worried Pokemon that he was in fact safe.

Easier said than done.

He continued padding though the tall grass, and gave a glance toward the sun. Nearly sunset, He needed to speed it up. He got down on all fours, and started charging through the grass towards the pond. He hoped that the majority was still here, and hadn't just ran off to find him themselves. And Arceus help him if one of the unofficial peacekeepers decided to do that. If that happened, then there wouldn't be anyone here to "explain" to.

He'd have to have faith that cooler heads would prevail. Again, easier said than done.

"And why are we still here, then, Infernape? If Ash is in trouble, we should go find him!"

Pikachu felt his ear twitch in the direction of the shout, and he immediately changed his direction towards the argument. That sounded just like Torterra. There was no mistaking that heavy baritone.

"And if we all just run off in different directions, how are we gonna find each other if, say, Pikachu manages to call for help or something? Or Ash? What will we do then? We can't rush in, especially when Ash needs us!"

The electric type continued his rush towards the voice, and heard another shout. "That's rich, coming from you!"

Pikachu sighed in exasperation, and continued. If he wasn't there already, they were having a hell of a shouting match. He took one last push of agility, and finally shot out of the tall grass.

And what he found was a melee. Several Pokemon were at blows, and the ones that weren't were screaming at each other, both out of anger, and so they could simply be heard.

The electric type sighed in exasperation, and put a paw up to his face. Of course. No wonder Umbreon was so excited to have him here to "Fix" the problem. He glanced over the combat, and noticed some older bruises on several of the pokemon. This probably had been happening on and off for the past couple days. Sounded like Ash's pokemon, alright. Passionate, fiery, and not too bright.

"Everyone shut up!"

The shout didn't get a reaction, and Pikachu felt his irritation grow. They were simply being too loud for his "light" voice to be heard. He gritted his teeth, and counted to three before deciding to simply get their attention the "Pikachu" way.

He gathered up as much electricity as he could into a thunder, and prepared to shoot it into the air. "I said,** SHUT UP**!"

The lightning shot straight into the sky, and paused for a second, before coming back down, and harmlessly passing through him and into the ground beneath. The electricity didn't harm him, no, but the explosion that formed when it met the ground wasn't nearly as pleasant.

The entire group stopped immediately, paused in surprise, and glanced over to him in shock. He ignored the pain in his feet from the small explosion, and instead looked angrily over all of them, before beginning to count down from ten aloud.

"Ten... Nine... eight..."

The group stared in shock for another moment, before finally coming to their senses. "Pikachu?"

"Seven... six... five..."

"Pikachu!? Where's Ash?"

The mouse scowled a bit, and glared at the speaker. "Let me finish. Four... three... two... one... Yeah... I still _reaaaally_ want to kill you all."

The group continued staring, and the mouse sighed. "Ok, so... let me get this straight."

He began glaring over at everyone. "Ash needs help, and here you all are, screaming at each other. Hurting each other. Fighting, whining, arguing, just being big babies while our trainer is lost, who knows where, and maybe hurt. And, instead of coming up with a plan, you... argue?"

No one dared answer.

Pikachu felt a mix of rage, and disbelief. But, he took one moment to take another breath, and shook his head.

"Lucky for all of you, while you were all being a bunch of complete dumb-asses, I, the one before you, have already fixed it. Sorta. What matters is, Ash's here. He's alive, and here. Not at the bottom of some stupid sea temple, trying to save some stupid prince of the sea, not at the top of a frozen mountain because he wandered off, not dangling over one of those countless cliffs this world seems to have because fate tried to kill him off again. He's safe, and all your shouting, fighting, and stupid arguments did nothing to help him. So, congrats on being so helpful, guys."

There was an immediate uproar, and Pikachu nearly had to put his paws over his ears.

"Where is he?!"

"What happened this time?"

"Did he run off and elope?"

"Why isn't he here right now?"

"His mom's gone looking for him!"

Pikachu was immediately swamped by dozens of concerned pokemon, and he found himself nearly overrun. So much for the guilt trip. "Enough! He's here, just- Corphish, let go! He's- Dammit, I said let go! He's waiting outside the paddock! But guys, there's something you all need to know, and it's really important."

The crowd had silenced a tad at that, and the majority looked a mixture of confused and worried. Even Corphish was toned down. "Well... how should I say this. He's a Pokemon."

"Bullshit!"

Pikachu immediately looked over to the Tauros who shouted that, and scowled. "None of that. Seriously, stop."

The Tauros nodded sheepishly, and Pikachu sighed. "We're still figuring it out, but Ash is a Pokemon. And I know it's him."

The crowd, however, didn't seem to agree wholly with him, and he grimaced. Several looked like they didn't believe him. He looked over to Bulbasaur, who had been sitting near the edge of the large group, and shot him a look. Bulbasaur took that as a cry for help, and rolled his eyes. Of course. "We're all familiar with Ash's ability to do literally everything that shouldn't be possible. After all, how many times have we saved the world? Dozens? I think I've lost count. And those aren't even the weird things we've done."

Pikachu gladly accepted the lifeline, and nodded. "Oh yeah. And, how many times had Ash gotten mixed up in some legend or other? Some mystical or powerful item that can take over the world, or go back in time, or warp a Pokemon's mind. Heck, I even remember Ash coming across a witch, or magician, or whatever she called herself, And she turned him into a Pikachu. We even have pictures."

Totodile, Bayleef, Quilava and several others of the Johto team nodded at that, but they all seemed rather awkward with the thought.

"So, yeah, he's a Pokemon now, but we'll figure it out. And I'm pretty sure it's a save the world kinda thing again. Maybe Arceus decided to just make it easier for once, or something."

A murmur of acceptance went through the group, and Pikachu sighed. "So, yeah. Ash is here, and he's safe. But... er, does anyone have any questions?"

There was a heavy thud, and Pikachu noticed that Snorlax felt the need to stand up. "Er, yeah, big guy?"

Snorlax nodded, and paused, as if considering his words, before finally speaking. "Is Ash unharmed? Healthy, well fed, well rested?"

Pikachu smiled a bit, and nodded. Of course Snorlax would be the one to ask that. "He's healthy, and fed, as far as we know. But it's been a long day. He's tired."

Snorlax nodded slowly, before immediately flopping back onto his back, earning a couple fearful shouts from those immediately behind him. Pikachu shook his head, and sighed. Snorlax didn't show much normally, but he always was one of Ash's more sensitive pokemon.

"So, any other questions?"

This time, it was Glalie who responded, shooting up above the others. "Yeah... what kind of Pokemon is he?"

Pikachu smiled a bit, and nodded. "Because he's Ash, he would have to be a huge pain in the tail, so he became a legendary, because he couldn't resist being such a huge target."

Pikachu paused, before smirking mischievously. "But just telling you what he is would be boring. So, anyone wanna take a guess?"

Torkoal was the first to reply. "Oh! Is he a Ho-oh?"

Pikachu shook his head. It seemed that he wasn't the only one to remember Ash's affinity for the golden Phoenix."Nah. It'd be cool, but a Ho-oh is huge, and I'd think you guys would've noticed already. Any other guesses?"

"Is he a Mew?"

Pikachu gave a bark of laughter at that. If only. "That'd be awesome, Heracross, but no."

The next guess came from Totodile. "A Latias?"

Pikachu paused a bit, blinking in surprise, before looking over at the water type suspiciously. "Er... you know that's the girl version, right?"

Totodile gave a somewhat off looking grin, and nodded. "I know."

Pikachu paused a moment at that, before shaking his head. He'd never figure out Totodile, and, at this point, he was pretty sure he didn't want to. "Er, good guess, actually. He's a Latios, not a Latias."

Totodile seemed surprisingly disappointed at that. Pikachu considered asking, but refrained, simply because he was pretty sure he wouldn't like the answer. "So..." The mouse spoke, deciding to quickly change the subject, "Who wants to see Ash?"

There was a roar of a response, and Pikachu smiled. "Alright then. He's waiting right outside the paddock!"

* * *

Atiae was in bliss. Heaven. Cloud Nine. Any other metaphor for love and pleasurable enjoyment. And it was all because of Ash and his magic... er, claws.

"You know, you coulda told me about your back earlier. I would've helped you a long time ago."

The female simply gave a very happy sigh and a noncommittal shrug. She didn't care what happened after this. She could die happy. Only way to make this better was to make him hers.

"Ooooooooh. _Arceus_, I don't deserve you."

And, just like that, Ash stopped, and Atiae felt a rush of embarrassment. Did she actually just moan that out? She'd berate herself, if she wasn't sure that she'd do it again in the same situation. "Ash?"

He was staring to her other side, looking mortified, and she felt her face burn red. She killed the mood and moment in one fell swoop, and even added a whole heaping of embarrassment as a side dish. She gave a single pause, before sighing. Maybe she could flirt her way into returning the mood? "No need to be shy, Ash. In fact..."

She gave the male a small, what-she-hoped-was flirtatious smile, hoping that he ignored her crimson face. "If you want... I might be able to return the favor."

At that, the male looked down at her, looking rather shocked, and flushed an equally brilliant red as herself. She took that as a good sign, and scooted a bit towards him, trying desperately to kill her hesitance. She was probably pushing the envelope here, but right now... it seemed to be the best time. She forced a seemingly shy little smile for him, and ignored the blood rushing to her cheeks. "You know... I'm quite good with my illusions. Maybe... If you want... I could try my hand at giving you a back massage of your own. I'm sure I can figure it out. And besides... _Two_ of me is better than one."

The male blushed somehow more so, and looked at her incredulously, as if baffled by her offer, and Atiae's shyness somehow increased with his expression. But she forced herself to smile a bit more, and scooted a bit closer.

"Ash, I-"

"Wow... er, ummm... Yeah, I got nothing I'm willing to say in front of everyone else."

Atiae froze immediately at the voice, her mind going immediately blank for a moment. What?

But after a very short moment, her already red cheeks flushed ever brighter, and her head turned towards the voice. She did not recognize whoever that was, and even if she did, she'd still probably drop dead from embarrassment.

She continued looking towards the opposite direction, and, lo and behold, there was a very large crowd of Pokemon staring at her in shock, with the sole exception of a happily waving, very familiar looking totodile. She blinked owlishly, before reflexively waving back. Totodile seemed quite happy with that.

Oh, Arceus, why?

Pikachu, on the other hand, was simply holding his face in his paws at the previous sight. He did say do anything they wanted. But honestly, he didn't expect a intimate massage to be on the itinerary, nor did he want to hear what Atiae could do with her illusions.

And what's worse, Atiae, for the first time, couldn't be bothered to triple check everything before trying to make a move. She didn't even notice a crowd watching them, for Mew's sake, until Bulbasaur had the forethought to interrupt her before she elaborated on what she planned on doing. Bless his leafy, plant based soul.

The mouse pokemon continued holding his face, before feeling a prod in his side. He gave a tired glance over, and found a rather stoic Heracross looking at him. "Er... you didn't mention this tidbit. I think it'd be kinda important, especially since the fact would help us avoid Michael Bayleef from enjoying her second favorite hobby of cutting everything to ribbons."

The electric type gave a sigh, and shook his head. "I forgot. Arceus, how did I...Er, Michael Bayleef?"

"Because, at this point, it's a question of how _many_ explosions we're getting, rather than if we're getting one at all."

Pikachu simply groaned, and Heracross gave a shrug at his poorly timed joke, before looking intently at the pair. "Well... at least he got the right... species? You know, she looks familiar. Is she-"

Pikachu groaned, and nodded. "Yeah, she's the Latias from Altomare."

The bug type nodded, and smiled jokingly. "Good for her. She had eyes for him back when he was a human, and I never did like Misty. Too much TsunTsun, not enough Dere."

Pikachu simply gave Heracross an irritated look, and the bug type shrugged. Pikachu gave another groan, and shook his head. "Not helping."

Heracross chuckled at that, before looking back at the blushing pair. "But, yeah, still would've been nice to know, especially seeing as we just kinda... walked in on them. I always did say I love surprises, but still, dick move, bro."

"I get it, I get it, I screwed up. Now, go bother Torterra or someone else while I figure this out."

Heracross gave an amused bark, and shook his head. "Fine, fine. I'll take my comedic stylings to someone who'd appreciate it. Maybe Bayleef could use some humor."

The electric type rolled his eyes, and let loose a breath. "You do that. I'll make sure you get a warrior's funeral."

Heracross simply waved a hand, and walked off a distance, and Pikachu gave a large sigh. This was going to be a headache. He took one last moment to gather his thoughts, before shouting loud enough for everyone to hear. "So, yeah, I forgot to mention, those two are engaged. Yada yada, kissy kissy. Give them all a big round of applause!"

There was a couple pokemon who actually took Pikachu's suggestion in stride, and a light clapping came forth. "So, guys. For those of you who have no idea what a Latios is, Ash is that big blue dragon who currently is trying to become a big _red_ dragon. The smaller, normally less red dragon, is Atiae, his... claimed. Yep. Ash goes missing for not even five days, and we come back with a future wife in tow, because that's how the Ash works in his natural environment. Anyone got questions?"

Pikachu noted one of the dozens of Tauros raise a hoof, and Pikachu pointed. "Yes, you, in the back."

"Did they become mates because she's pregnant?"

Pikachu sighed, and took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. And so it begins. "No."

The same Tauros raised his hoof again, and Pikachu groaned a bit. "Yes?"

"Are you sure? Because she's pretty big 'round the middle."

Pikachu held back a laugh at that, and spared a glance at Atiae, who managed to regain her wits enough to look severely insulted. And to think, she was thin for her kind. "_Yes-I-am-sure_. Now, any other questions?"

This time, Donphan raised his trunk, and Pikachu nodded. "Yes, Donphan."

"So, if Dad is her husband, does that make her my mom?"

Pikachu paused a bit at that one. Oh yeah, Ash hatched him as a Phanpy. Damn, his memory was horrible today. "Er..." The starter looked over to Atiae, whose expression was surprisingly blank. He looked back to Donphan, and shrugged. "Well..."

"Yes."

The group looked back over to Atiae, and she gave a resolute nod. "If he's your dad, then yes."

Donphan seemed satisfied with that, and nodded approvingly in return. Pikachu gave a moment, before looking back to the group. "So, er... any other questions?"

* * *

Bayleef was shocked, but she couldn't say she was "surprised."

After all, she knew that, in the end, she never had a chance. It was a long standing acceptance, and one that she versed herself in daily. She knew that he'd choose a wife, and that he'd love her in a romantic way. And humans were surprisingly xenophobic when it came to romantic partners, and, bar the odd Gardevoir which looked sufficiently human to only be considered "extremely unsettling" by others when chosen, they didn't find Pokemon as worthy mating material. She knew this, and so did every other Pokemon who fell for their trainer.

She was never an option, and she'd never actually "win". And as such, she found herself content with what she had. A close friendship with her trainer. It wasn't love in the fashion she wanted, but it was enough, right?

But now... she would've had a "chance." Ash was a Pokemon, and now, it wouldn't have been wrong for him to choose her. And yet, she still didn't even have a single chance to try. He'd been a Pokemon for supposedly five days, and he already had been claimed by one of his "own" species, a species that was already bordering on extinct. She felt angry, she felt sad, and yet, she still couldn't bring herself to say anything about it.

It was obvious that it wasn't meant to be.

Simply because, in the end, nothing changed. Sure, he looked different, smelled... kinda different, and everything else, but he was still off limits. He was still someone else's.

She wished she could appreciate the irony, but it was a bitter pill. However, there was one thing she had to do. One thing she had to say, to help ease her heart and make peace with this.

Bayleef rose up a vine, and watched as Pikachu looked over at her, and winced. She knew why, but the gesture still hurt.

"You have a question, Bayleef?"

She swallowed once, and nodded. She was suddenly very nervous, but she had to make sure. "This question is for Ash."

Pikachu sighed weakly, before nodding, and looking over to her trainer. "Alright. Ash?"

The male Dragon nodded, and looked to Bayleef with a kind smile. The same kind smile he always had. "Yes, Bayleef?"

Bayleef couldn't help but smile a bit, and took a single, deep breath. Only one question.

"Does she make you happy?"

* * *

Ash paused for a moment at the question, and gave a glance at Atiae, who looked suddenly nervous. Both Ash and Pikachu knew that Bayleef was never one to hold punches, even with those she liked. Especially with those she liked, and boy, did she not disappoint. The male Sky-Dancer pondered for a moment, and thought out his answer. Did she make him happy?

He looked over to the shocked face of his "Claimed" and his first thought was no. She had not done anything so far that made him genuinely happy. She had forced him into a relationship, basically drug him, kicking and screaming, into a world that wasn't his, and shanghaied him into his current situation. She was selfish, she was often very single minded, and she was constantly cold, insensitive, and cared too much about how others seen her.

But, as the possessive side of his mind oh so helpfully reminded him, she was also his.

And she did love him. He knew that he was dense, he knew he didn't get girls that well, but... she made that fact screamingly obvious. She'd openly say it often, and she was genuinely trying to make him happy. She'd put him first when she actually thought of it, and... she often sacrificed much, just for some stupid little smile from him. He wasn't blind, and he saw how uncomfortable she was when she tried to "flirt", or whatever she called what she'd been doing. And, when they were going to go help watch the hatchlings, she looked as if she'd been told to walk into a Pyroar's den. And yet, she continued to sit beside him, once, well... she caught up, anyway. But even that was his fault, seeing as he ran off.

She tried to hide all of this, sure, but she wasn't as subtle as she thought she was, and even if she was, he was a pokemon trainer. It was his job to pay attention to his pokemon. And she was no exception. To others, she was a cold, calculating, and powerful leader. But, to him, she was a scared, hurt, and insecure latias, hiding behind her status and her work, so she didn't have to face reality.

So, yes, she was selfish, spoiled, and distant, but she was also passionate, fiercely loyal, and jealously protective. She was his, but he was also hers. And unlike so many who'd just be happy with having someone, she just wanted him to be genuinely happy, and, to her, she was the only one that could do it.

She hadn't made him happy yet. But in the end, it would simply come down to faith. And that thought brought a smile to Ash's face. He had faith to spare.

"I'm sure she will."

Both Pikachu and Atiae look at him in surprise, and he shrugged.

Bayleef didn't really respond immediately, before nodding once, and sat there for a moment, setting everyone else on edge. But, after a moment, she sighed, and gave the pair a sad, small smile. "If she ends up making you happy, then... I'll approve."

Atiae looked over to Ash, still looking quite gobsmacked. She expected him to say no, or to shrug, and give a maybe at most. Not a genuine show of faith, in front of what was basically his entire family, with the exception of his mother.

She... honestly didn't know how to feel.

Pikachu, on the other hand, did, and gave a large sigh, shaking his head. This could only end in two ways, and the lines were getting more and more distinct. He hoped it would just end well. "Alright. Any other questions?"

The Tauros near the back raised his hoof, and Pikachu scowled. "No, she is not pregnant!"

* * *

"I think it's time to get going guys. We'll be back in the morning. Just don't... I don't know, burn down the forest again or something when I'm gone."

A couple very cheery fire types gave half hearted waves in response as they walked off, and both Ash and Pikachu sighed. "Well... let's get home."

The pair looked over to Atiae, who had remained on the ground for the entirety of the visit, and waited for her to move. "You coming?"

The female nodded, and gave a sigh. She really didn't want to get up. And, she couldn't help but feel... conflicted, and she couldn't even find out why. And add the fact that, right now, this patch of dirt was more comfortable than her entire bed of soft moss and grass back at Altomare, and she really couldn't find herself wanting to get up. She was tired, hungry, and... anxious. She couldn't think of any other word for it, but it was there. "I am. Just... trying to recuperate. I'll need enough energy to cast that illusion back home, for Mimey, and to hopefully keep it going all night."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow at that, but ended up giving a begrudging nod. "How low on energy are you?"

Atiae paused, before looking over to the mouse with a frown. "I'll have enough."

"That wasn't what I asked."

The female frowned further, and shook her head, before rising into the air. "Let's go. I'm hungry, tired, and... It's been a very long day."

Pikachu nodded a bit, and gave Atiae a suspicious look. She'd been very reserved since Bayleef's question, but after a moment of staring, he sighed, and gave a nod. "Fine, let's get home."

The trip was a short one, and Atiae had, as promised, cast an illusion over both her and Ash. Sure, compared to the last one, it was sloppy and pretty weak, but it still held, and Pikachu still found himself impressed by how well made her weakest illusion was. But, he didn't dwell on it too much, simply because dinner was ready, and waiting.

As such, the trip had nearly been a run towards the house, and once they got there, they were met by a irritated looking Fairy type.

"Ash, I made a quick stew. Your mother took most of her non-perishables with her, but there was enough to make this. I will go shopping in the morning, but until then, this will have to do."

Ash nodded, and happily looked at the large pot of food sitting in the kitchen. It smelled great from where he stood, and while it wasn't his mom's cooking, Mimey was almost as good.

"So, let's eat. I set up spots for all of you, including you, Pikachu."

The mouse blinked; surprised that Mimey was allowing him at the table, before shrugging. Maybe it was just because of the occasion. The trio was then corralled into the dining room, where, sure enough, the table was set and ready.

"I made a basic stew, but it's Miltank. I hope that works, Miss."

Atiae shook her head quickly, and threw a smile on her face. "No, that's fine. I like Miltank."

She then watched as Ash jumped excitedly into his seat, and filling up a rather large bowl. She smiled at the sight, before suddenly feeling suddenly nervous, and she quickly looked away, instead focusing on her own bowl. She didn't know what the feeling was, but it wasn't welcome.

But she'd figure it out later. Food was good. And she was hungry, and she wanted to eat. These were facts. But, when she looked over at Ash...

She gave an internal groan, and sighed. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but it was bugging her to no end. Was it anger? Did the male do something to irritate her, and she just didn't recognize it? She pondered this as she casually reached for the ladle, and barely noticed that she fumbled the utensil. She mindlessly grabbed for it again while thinking. Was she embarrassed?

Well, of course she was embarrassed. She was caught by Ash's Pokemon while essentially attempting to seduce him. And poorly doing so, at that. But this didn't feel like embarrassment, and she doubted that was it, unless she somehow transcended into the next level of mortification. Maybe she-

"Er, Atiae, you feeling alright?"

The female dragon jumped slightly, and looked over to Ash. "Er, I'm fine."

"He wasn't the one who asked, and you've been playing around with that ladle for half a minute now. Is it _that_ fun, 'cause if so, I know what I'm getting you for Christmas."

Atiae turned her head toward Pikachu, and frowned. Had she really? She felt a rush of genuine embarrassment, and shook her head. Her feeling definitely wasn't that. "Er, no, just... lost in thought."

Pikachu gave her a suspicious look, but nodded. "Alright... But you should get some food. Ash's already finished his first bowl, and he's been nicely waiting for you to stop goofing around."

She blushed a bit at that, and nodded. "Oh, um, sorry." She then quickly filled her bowl, and took a spoonful. It was delicious. If Ash ate like this every day, he was living the dream. And she immediately felt a pang of guilt at that. Was that what she was she doing? Taking him away from good food?

She grimaced at the thought, and Mimey noticed immediately. "Is there something wrong?"

Atiae shook her head quickly, and tried to stammer out a reply. "No, I... er, bit my tongue."

Mimey seemed to begrudgingly accept this, but looked at her suspiciously as she went back to her own bowl, and Atiae sighed. This was ridiculous. And the worst part was, she didn't understand why she was feeling this way. It wasn't embarrassment, nor was it guilt. So, what the heck was it, and why did it feel so infuriatingly _familiar_?

"Miss Atiae, was it? If you're finished, the guest room is ready for you."

The female blinked, and looked down to her now empty bowl. Lady Mew, she was either losing it, or Ash had somehow inhaled her bowl in the second she looked away. She gave a glance over to Ash, feeling irritation at her sudden nervousness with the act, and noticed that, sure enough, he had finished his bowl, and was looking glazy eyed and full, and, after a quick check, she felt the same. She ignored her urge to blush at both her embarrassment and her unsaid accusation, and instead looked over to Mimey in confusion. Wait, did she say guest room?

The idea of sleeping apart from Ash earned her a reflexive repulsion to the idea, but, her newfound feeling seeming to revel in it, and she found that extremely worrying. But, after a moment, she stood up, and awkwardly smiled at Mimey. She'd figure out this feeling, if it killed her. "Er, thank you."

Mimey returned her smile, and gave a gesture. "I'll show you the room."

Atiae nodded, and stood up, before sighing. She needed to figure out her feelings, before they drove her completely nuts.

Mimey led her down the hall, and, at the end, sat two rooms. "So, the room on the left is Master Ash's. And the room across the way is yours. I hope you sleep well, but if you need extra blankets, there's some in the hallway closet."

Atiae gave a mindless nod, and simply entered the room. It was rather cozy, and the bed looked very appealing. She was terribly tired, and frankly, she needed the rest. Her weak illusion should hold through the night if she went off her instinctual autopilot, so her worry was unfounded there.

But the feeling her gut kept screaming at her for something else, and she still couldn't figure out what it meant, or what she felt. She grumbled a bit, and took her time to disrobe, and plopped down on top of the covers. She felt nervous, scared, and happy, and had no reason to feel any of this. Atiae couldn't help herself, and growled lightly, making the effort to roll over onto her side.

Did she somehow fall _out_ of love? The idea infuriated her, especially since she had loved Ash hopelessly, mindlessly, for the past two or so years. But, the instant she got confirmation of him returning the feeling, she felt this... hellion of an urge in her gut, with no explanation. Did she honestly just want the chase, and the instant it was over, she wanted something else to pursue?

Her heart told her no, and she growled again. Well, what was it? She was nervous, anxious, hesitant, airheaded, happy-

And, with that, she froze, and she rolled onto her stomach, absolutely furious. No wonder her feeling felt so familiar.

She had a crush on Ash again.

Atiae growled angrily, and head butted her pillow several times. Of course she did. Because one and a half years of hopeless pining weren't enough. Now, she had to go through another.

Her gut was telling her not to ignore him and find another, but to shyly avoid him, to blush and coo, and frankly, she wanted to tell her gut to sod off. She finally got what she wanted for the past two years and a half years, and she wasn't going to sit by and let a stupid resurrection of a crush tell her what to do.

She quickly got out of bed, and looked over at the door. Everything in her told her to stay put, but right now, she was gonna go sleep with Ash if it killed her.

* * *

"So... You getting in bed, or what?"

Pikachu shrugged at his trainer, and frowned. He honestly expected Atiae to make a fuss about staying in the guest room. But, she was probably just planning on sneaking out of the room once Mimey wasn't paying attention. He gave a sigh, and shook his head. Things always had to be complicated. "Not right now. I'll probably be back later. You just get some sleep, 'cause I have to go see Umbreon. I'll be back... whenever that gets over."

Ash nodded tiredly, and looked to Pikachu. "What was all that about, anyway?"

"I'll tell you later. Now, sleep. We have another big day tomorrow, and you need it."

Ash gave a sleepy nod, and pulled off his day clothes, and climbed into bed. "Well... Night, Pika. Have fun, or whatever."

Pikachu gave a single nod, and padded out the room, leaving Ash alone. The male sighed, and looked around the room, reveling in the fond memories. He caught sight of the contest ribbon he shared with May, and the reel Misty gave him. He even spotted the picture Atiae gave him two years ago.

But, after a couple minutes of looking and recalling fond memories, he felt the need to simply sleep. He sighed, and tried to close his eyes, and just fade away. But, after a moment, he groaned. He was exhausted, and yet, he couldn't sleep. Irony.

He groaned, and rolled over, sitting on his side, before sighing. This wasn't working. He sat there for several more moments, until a slender arm wrapped itself around his waist, and some cloth pressed into his back.

He immediately froze, and tried to look behind him, and found some brown hair. "Atiae?"

The female stiffened into his back, and Ash found himself rather curious. Did she think he was asleep?

Atiae, on the other hand, was nearly frozen. Why was she this shy? She had honestly cuddled up to him like this twice, and not once had she felt a single moment of hesitation. Damn her gut, and damn her stupid little crush. She worked hard to get this far, and frankly, she wasn't gonna let a stupid little schoolgirl's fancy ruin it for her. "...Yes?"

Ash felt hesitant for a moment. He didn't expect her to sneak in, nor did he expect her to sound so... off. "Er... why are you here?"

Atiae didn't respond immediately, and instead gave an awkward shrug into his back. She didn't trust her words right now, nor did she trust herself not to stutter. Ash blushed a bit at the feeling, and he tried to look behind him a bit more. He got a look, and noticed that she was wearing his shirt.

"That's mine." It wasn't a question.

She gave a nervous nod into his back, and sighed. She knew she should've put her own clothes back on before she left.

"Where are your clothes?"

Atiae didn't respond immediately, simply because she didn't know what to say. She forced up what was left of her courage, and forced out a reply. "Probably the same place yours are."

Not her best come-back. It sounded like an insult, if anything. She grimaced, and pushed herself further into Ash's back. Maybe, if she kept quiet, he'd forget she was here.

Ash blinked, not expecting the seemingly sarcastic reply. "Er...What?"

"My clothes are on your floor?" Arceus, that sounded better in her head. This was exactly why she was trying to avoid talking.

Ash blinked once, before groaning. "Please tell me you're at least wearing pants."

"... Technically, I never wear pants."

Ash was not reassured by her answer, and frankly, neither was Atiae.

Atiae winced. This was a horrible idea, and she was now regretting every moment. She did this to get rid of her stupid little flight of fancy. Nip it in the bud, snuggle up to him, and get somewhat intimate at the same time, getting him used to the idea. Instead, she found herself awkwardly clinging to his back, terrified and hoping that he'd just ignore her, which was honestly the first time she ever felt that way. All while questionably dressed.

She wasn't sure what level of failing that was, but she was sure it was pretty far up there.

"Can we just... sleep?"

Ash gave an exasperated sigh, and nodded. "Sure, fine. If my mom pops in, and we die, I'm blaming you."

Atiae gave a nervous nod and attempted to push the crimson from her cheeks, and sighed into his back. She sure botched this one up.

"Night... Ash."

* * *

Let it be known that Pikachu was never fond of Psychic types. They were always the ones who rained on his parade, or found him whenever he tried to sneak out, for whatever reason.

"So, where are you going?"

Pikachu, who had been about five seconds from crawling out the window, winced, and turned around, looking over to Mimey, who was patiently looking at him from her spot at the kitchen table like an exasperated mother, catching her son trying to sneak out for the fifth time.

"Er... Gotta go meet Umbreon."

Mimey nodded at that, and shrugged. "Very well. Your friend seems nice, by the way. Rather cute, too."

Pikachu blinked, and looked at Mimey in confusion. Were they talking about the same person here? "Er... "Nice" wouldn't be my choice of words to describe Umbreon."

The fairy type didn't outwardly respond, and instead looked back down to the newspaper she had laid on the table. "Wasn't talking about Umbreon, but your opinion is noted."

Pikachu paused, before raising an eyebrow. "Wait, you mean... Atiae?"

The Psychic mime nodded at that, and looked back up to the starter. "Of course. She has the cutest little crush on Ash. He's lucky; Latias aren't normally ones to be so hesitant."

Pikachu froze at that, and looked at Mimey in complete bewilderment. He wasn't sure what was more surprising. The fact that she knew that Atiae was a Latias, or that she thought she was shy. "Wait, you mean... you know-"

"That she's a Pokemon? Of course. Ash too, but I think I'll leave the figuring out on 'how' that happened to you. It gives me less headaches."

Pikachu simply sat there for a moment, before grimacing. "You saw through the illusion?"

Mimey chuckled at that. "No, actually, she spoke like a pokemon right off the bat, which made it pretty easy to guess. Ash too. After that, it was a simply guessing game, and seeing as I wouldn't be able to detect a Zoroark's illusion at all, due to its dark typing, I had to go with the other possibility."

Pikachu gave a groan, and shook his head. "And you don't have any problem believing Ash is a Pokemon now?"

The female gave a small smile, and shrugged. "I'm not a battler like you, Pikachu. I don't have that inherent paranoia that most trainers' pokemon seem to have when it comes to deception. Besides, is there not a picture of Ash as a_ female_ Pikachu sitting on the mantle? I fail to see how that could happen, and yet, think that Ash becoming a completely different pokemon completely impossible. With Ash's track record, I wouldn't be surprised if you said Ash was actually _Atiae_."

Pikachu groaned at the mention of Ashachu's lesser know trait. No one was supposed to know, especially Ash. Dang Johtian Pikachu breeds and their lack of obvious sexual dimorphism. That event even gave him some terrible dreams for quite some time, dreams he'd never wish on anyone. "Fine. But don't ever, ever tell Ash that."

Mimey nodded. "Of course. Delia told me the exact same thing when she found out. After she stopped laughing, that is."

"So, we've got no problems? Do we even need the illusion, or should we keep it?"

The fairy type gave a bored shrug, and flipped the page of the newspaper. "It's fine. I don't mind either way, although I'd love to see Ash as what he is now, instead of what he was, three years ago."

Pikachu gave a hesitant nod, and sighed. "So, do you know about their whole... everything else, too?"

Mimey shrugged. "Well, she's currently in his room, snuggling him, and before that, she couldn't look at him for longer than a second before blushing, so... yes."

Pikachu gave a second wince, and shook his head. "And... you, er, have no problem with this?"

The female sighed, and shook her head. "I do, and I'd go upstairs the instant I thought something more was going on. But, if they wanted to be intimate, would I be able to really stop them? I can detect her current illusion because I know exactly what I'm looking for, but, what if I didn't? She could simply make it seem that they're elsewhere, or hide themselves, or even make it seem that they're with you, and I'd never be the wiser. I may be a psychic type, but I'm not _psychic_, nor am I some well trained detector pokemon. If she didn't want me to know, I wouldn't know, even if they were trying it right in front of me."

Mimey paused, and gave a sigh. "In the end, I'll just have to trust the two, and hope that Ash's fear of his mother will be able to keep the two of them at bay."

And, in that moment, Pikachu's worries about Ash's chastity were completely dashed. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

The female chuckled at that, and nodded. "I'm sure too. He's terrified of his mother, and frankly, Atiae seems to be the shy type. I doubt she'll try anything."

Pikachu hesitated at that, but decided against correcting the female, if only for her own safety of mind. The Atiae he knew was anything but shy. But, he instead nodded again, and looked at the window. "So... I better go, before Umbreon hunts me down, and causes a scene."

The fairy type nodded, and looked back down at her paper. "Very well. Go, have fun. Do whatever you'll do. After all, I'm not responsible for you, and you're an adult, as far as Pikachu's go."

Pikachu blushed slightly at the implication, and sighed. "Alright. See you later."

And, with that, the mouse crawled out the window. Mimey looked at the open oriel, and sighed. "At this rate, I'm gonna go bald. Please hurry up, Delia."

* * *

**A/N So, here we are! Atiae finally defrosted a bit towards Ash, Antics ensued, and Now, all of Ash's Pokemon are in the picture! Except Charizard. And Lapras. And.. well, Pidgeot. And Butterfree...**

**Alright, _some_ of Ash's pokemon are in the picture. But that's better than none, right?**

**So, Tell me what you thought of the chapter! I love reviews and PM's, and if you have any questions, I love answering them! **

**But, It's rather difficult to respond to anon reviews, so I'll be unable to, unless the answer's short. I can get very lengthy in question responses, and I refuse to pad the story with lengthy review replies. I pad it enough with story relevant tidbits I probably shouldn't post anyway. XD**

**So, thank's for reading, and the next chapter should be out pretty quick! It's another "Everyone else" chapter, except it also includes Pika/Umbreon convo.**


	27. Far reaching ripples

** A/N So, here's the next chapter, which, ironically, is late. Ah well, not much I can do now.**

**The chapter is mainly about Pika/Umbre, Misty/Brock, Iris, and the trio of Shades that make up Atiae's entourage. Hopefully it isn't too boring, but, if it is, ah well. Sorry!  
**

**And so, a hearty thanks to my Beta,, Syrup Waffle! He's the syrupiest.**

* * *

Pikachu padded down the street, feeling his dread slowly grow. Umbreon said that she wanted to talk. The female had never been one to mince words, nor was she the type to care about talking in private, with the sole exception of very important matters, and the thought of her wanting to talk about something, in private, was a terrifying concept.

Especially if she wanted the conversation to be mere feet away from medical facilities.

If he could have his way, he'd avoid the meeting like the plaque, but he knew that if she said she'd hunt him down, that she meant that, one way or another, they were going to have this talk.

So, he made his way to the pokemon center quietly and quickly, and, sure enough, once it was in sight, he spotted the dark typed eeveelution waiting right in front of the center's doors. She was blankly staring into the sky, and he stopped in place. Maybe, just maybe, he'd finally be able to quietly sneak up on her. He didn't plan on spooking her, but...

"Took you long enough. I was just about to go and get you myself."

Pikachu froze in place, and gave a rather exasperated look over at the moonlight eeveelution. He should've known better. He never could surprise her before, so he didn't understand why he thought that would've changed. "Things came up."

Umbreon didn't look at him, and instead continued staring into the night sky. "Dragon things? Or Ash's pokemon?"

"Both."

The female gave an almost bored nod, and sighed, before turning her golden, almost glowing eyes over to him. "So, how are you, Pikachu? Hungry?"

Pikachu gave her a small, blank look. Umbreon smiled a bit at that, and looked away. "No? I guess the effort I took to get the key to the lab was useless, then."

Pikachu gave another blank look.

Umbreon rolled her eyes in amusement, and looked back to the sky. "I guess I should just get to the point. Unless you want to continue this mundane conversation? I'm content either way."

The electric type sighed, and shrugged. He never once figured out how to behave around Umbreon. She had always been like this since she was an Eevee, and no matter how he behaved, be it cold, curt, and courteous, or happy and affectionate; she always had the ability to reply with something unexpected, yet so terrifyingly her.

He never found a way to understand what she was thinking, and she seemed content in keeping him from finding out.

"Whatever you want, Umbre."

The female gave a short, curt nod, and didn't stop looking up to the sky. "The question was quite serious, you know. Are you genuinely hungry? I recall having some pokemon food in the lab somewhere."

Pikachu blinked a second time, and she shrugged. "Very well, it seems that you're not feeling up to pleasantries, so I'll simply cut to the point. Did I offend you in some way? Because you've put an awfully large amount of effort into avoiding me."

Pikachu paused for a moment, before giving shaking his head in denial. He had been avoiding her, and frankly, there was no denying it. But his reasons were much more complex than feeling offended over something. "I don't think you did."

Umbreon seemed to accept this, and finally tore her eyes from the darkened sky, and instead put them on him. "So, did you have a reason why you've avoided me? Didn't we agree that, when you said we should take a break, it actually meant taking a break? Because I fail to see how avoiding me until I'm forced to drag you off to get answers, hoping that I'll just forget what happened a "Break". We both know you've never had the courage to just kill something outright, but your habit of prolonging its suffering is much crueler."

Pikachu grimaced at her curtness, and recalled why they had so many problems. But, before he could say anything, she cut him off.

"But that isn't the only issue I have, Pikachu. The second would be your enamored behavior you have for a certain young Glaceon."

Pikachu grimaced. Only Ash was supposed to be the only one to know about that crush, and yet, here was Umbreon, obviously privy to such knowledge.

"And my last issue would be very related to the second, but it is, to me, the most important, so I shall start with that."

Umbreon sighed, and took a moment, before looking back to the male electric type. "I always knew that you did have a penchant for young Eevee, Pikachu. However, I did not think the age group you pursued would stay the same as you aged. And, while I may have been younger than you when we started our relationship, we of the Eevee line always aged quicker than most, so I simply took that as it was. If only due to the fact that, biologically, I am quite a bit older than you. But, there is a difference between a small biological gap, and literally snatching one from the egg. Weren't you there on Glaceon's hatching day? In a relationship with me, no less? Age-wise, you're closer to her older brother or father to her than a lover, and now I find myself wondering if I should be concerned. Maybe, in the pokemon world, this is common, but, to us who have been raised by humans, which does include you, this is a terrible moral issue."

Umbreon gave a small sigh, and shook her head. The male wasn't as dense as his trainer emotionally, but he still did a plethora of stupid things. "I am unsure if you've actually pursued a relationship with her, or if that single moment during the Wallace cup was simply a onetime deal. But, either way, I'm feeling as if I should've offered myself to you, that way, I wouldn't worry about you preying upon the youth of the next generation."

The mouse winced at that. Umbreon watched him on TV, awkwardly flirting with Glaceon. Not his best moment, and he'd forgotten about that. "She's not that young..."

Umbreon froze, and looked over at him angrily, making Pikachu completely regret his choice of words and the implications they brought. He might as well have just confirmed it. "No, she's terribly young. No experience, no history of love, romance, nothing but her experiences with her trainer, Ash, and you, the one who helped her grow up as a pokemon. Is that what you're aiming for? Nudge her into a relationship that, if it fails, will destroy what was basically her entire childhood?"

Pikachu winced again.

"All she has is fond memories of you, Pikachu. You were one of her greatest constants, what she probably sees as her big brother, and you want to change that, make those memories of you into those as her lover. And, what then? If you end up unhappy, or worse, angry with each other, what will that do?"

Umbreon paused, hoping for an answer, before sighing. "What you'll do is destroy many of her fondest memories with you into bitter, painful ones. And the worse part? You'll be able to move on, able to use your half-decade of life experience as a buoy, while she suffers because you chose a child."

"I didn't mean-"

"Of course you didn't mean anything, and that's the problem. You never mean to hurt someone. You never meant to leave someone sitting there, wondering what she did wrong. You didn't mean to cut off her from your life, never telling her if she wasn't good enough, or if that you genuinely wanted a break."

Umbreon paused, and took a breath, before speaking again. "That's the problem, Pikachu. You don't think of the consequences. You do the first thing that comes to mind, unless your trainer directs you elsewhere. You follow your gut, which, I'll admit in a fight is invaluable. But, in real life? All that does is cause problems, and hurt those around you. A sudden attraction? Ask her out. Feel you don't like it? Run off, maybe tell her that you're going to be taking a break over the phone. Find someone younger that you suddenly like? Mindlessly pursue her without thinking of what her foster brother's sudden attraction will do to her. I'd say you're thinking with your second head, if that didn't imply the word think was involved in any way."

Umbreon paused, and looked back to the darkened sky. "You're impulsive, Pikachu. And unlike your trainer, you cause as many problems as you fix with that. And, had you been with any other trainer, you'd been released or dead a long time ago, simply because you did something stupid or ran off and got caught by something bigger and hungrier. You have a good heart, but intentions only get you so far, and even then, your intentions aren't that pure to begin with."

Pikachu simply sat there, before growling a bit, and Umbreon braced herself for his reflexive response. She got her anger out, and now, it was time for his.

Just like clockwork.

"And you're any better? Because I seem to remember you sitting by, never saying anything unless you knew what it'd do. I might run ahead, but you stay where you are, and watch until you're sure that you won't screw up. I might have ran off, but you never left the starting gate to begin with!"

Umbreon sighed unhappily, and shook her head. He was still bitter about her lack of input from back when they first started. That made sense, seeing as she, in her own way, felt the same. "Perhaps."

Pikachu scowled, and glared at the female eeveelution. "And you never just... ugh! You just agree! Never fight, never feel, never just... try! All you do is sit there, uncaring as the world burns or someone just yells at you, and just sit there and take it! Why?! Fight, get angry, just say something, damn it!"

Umbreon simply looked blankly back up at the sky, and made a point to ignore him. He'd burn himself out quickly, and she'd deal with him then. She learned a long while ago that, while hot, his anger died out quickly with nothing to fuel it. Take away her own anger, her own emotions, her own defense, and he'd cool off. "And why, Pikachu, should I do that? Refuse truth, fight with lies, deny my weaknesses and shortcomings? What would that achieve? A false sense of entitlement?"

Pikachu scowled, but she continued. "Because I won't refuse that I wasn't the best. I was a poor partner, but, at least I'll admit it."

Umbreon watched as the male grumbled huffily at that last bit, and noted that his anger flared up slightly, but it died down right after that. Ok, maybe she didn't need that last jab, but it felt right.

Pikachu, on the other hand, forced himself to take a moment to breathe and calm himself. Now wasn't the best time to blow up, and, no matter how angry it made him, he couldn't just explode.

Umbreon waited for him to calm down, and looked at the darkened sky. The moon was surprisingly dim. "I don't fight because you fight so hard. No matter what, you're right. It's easier to simply wait until you cool off, and talk then."

Pikachu continued glowering for a moment, before sighing. She was right, and that fact irritated him to no end. "... Sorry."

Umbreon looked back at him, and gave him a soft smile. Now was the time to reopen communications, and maybe lighten the mood a bit. Try out her humoresque skills she'd been working on. "It's fine. Besides, your temper is nothing compared to Gary's, or worse, Blastoise's. The big lug acts like I killed his mother every time he loses, which is all the time. You'd think he'd get used to it by now, but no. He's still surprised, every single time."

Pikachu sighed again, and sat down beside the female. "Still."

Umbreon shrugged. "If you feel so badly about it, maybe you should work towards rectifying it, instead of apologizing all the time."

Pikachu raised an eyebrow at that. "Huh?"

The Eeveelution rolled her eyes at his confusion, and shook her head. She might have to take her previous density comment back. Maybe, Pikachu was worse than Ash when it came to emotions. "It's better to fix a problem, then apologize for it."

Pikachu just sat there awkwardly, and Umbreon rolled her eyes. "But, we still have another topic to discuss before we finish. I can wait on your answers for the other two, but the last one needs an answer now. Why are you avoiding me?"

Pikachu groaned a bit. He just wanted this to be over. "I wanted to figure out what I felt. If I was happy, or sad, or just... "thinking with my second head."

Umbreon snorted in amusement at that. "I wasn't sure what I wanted, so... yeah. Wanted to see if being alone made me feel any different. If I missed you, or was just... happy to be alone."

The female nodded once. "A worthy reason, if it lasted a couple months. But a little under two years? Not your best work. But then again, you've never been one that understood what you felt until it exploded in your face."

"Wait, I'm the emotionally dense one? I remember you being the one who didn't say what she felt, little miss emotionally stunted."

Umbreon didn't outwardly react, and shrugged. "Perhaps. But, as a rebuttal, I also recall you refusing to say what you really felt. If I did something, you'd lie through your teeth if you didn't like it. It's rather hard to tell what you want, what you like, when everything is "amazing" to you. I was beginning to wonder if you were either a chronic liar, or a masochist."

She paused at that last thought, before looking over at Pikachu. That was an interesting thought. "Maybe..."

Pikachu looked at her, before realizing what she was thinking. "No, we're not talking 'bout this again."

Umbreon frowned a bit out of irritation, and sighed. "I never understood why you refuse to talk about any of your preferred sexual fetishes, even if we've never partaken in such acts. It's rather difficult to try and find a way to please you, when you won't talk. I've been forced to simply finding out myself, but it's proven quite difficult."

"Now is not the time to talk about that!"

Umbreon shook her head in seeming disappointment, as if about to lecture a child, and sighed. The mouse never understood what was needed for a healthy relationship. "I believe that it's always time for that. Because that's what love is, Pikachu. You don't figure out what your partner is like automatically, and you have to try and learn. It's a process, and the most important part is communication. Sexual preferences are included in that. It helps us figure out each other. I know who I am, but not you."

Pikachu glared, and raised an eyebrow. She was getting surprisingly deep, especially for Umbreon. "Oh, and who are you, then?"

Umbreon blinked, forcing a bored expression. Now was the time to spring the trap. The... humor trap. Not her best work in terms of naming, but it would do. "Depends on who you ask. According to your friend Totodile, I'm a girl who really needs to get laid."

Pikachu froze for a second. That was either the poorest timed, most irrelevant reply in the history of the world, a joke, or a very blunt proposition.

"Your friend has an interesting mindset. And it was very enlightening when he tried to set me up with Bayleef and demand to watch."

Pikachu froze. Totodile was a deadman.

"And by enlightening, I meant his cries for mercy as I broke him."

... He still didn't know if that was a joke or not. "Umbreon, was that a... joke?"

Umbreon smiled internally, and nodded in satisfaction. He noticed. "Yes. Recently, I have found myself with a considerate amount of free-time as of the past year or so. As such, I've found reading self help guides to be very enlightening."

The mouse simply blinked dumbly.

"And, according to "How to talk to men and how to woo them," the majority of males enjoy humor. As such, I've read over twenty eight books on the subject. According to "A comedian's guide to psychology", your impulsive personality enjoys shock based humor. As such, I have prepared multiple jokes."

Pikachu looked like he was in shock, and Umbreon took that as acceptance. "So, I'll try my first one. Your input is appreciated."

Pikachu nodded dumbly, still trying to catch up with the situation.

"So, what is worse than a dead Ba-"

And it was that that brought him out of his surprise. "No!"

Umbreon jumped slightly at the shout, and looked at him in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Pikachu felt his eye twitch. "I can stand that last joke, but you're not making... those jokes to me!"

Umbreon paused, before nodding. She had other options, and, to be honest, most shock jokes weren't all that good. Usually just really dark. "Alright. How about innuendo?"

"Er... Ok?"

"In-your-end-o."

Pikachu groaned. And, to think, he was yelling angrily a minute or two ago.

"... I think I'll take you up on that offer for food."

* * *

Brock hated airports. They cost a ton, they were always crowded, and they always felt the need to basically have him strip just to get through security. And that was when going to most countries. Unova was its own beast. The other countries' security measures were tame compared to theirs. After all, most didn't have special scanning machine that checked him for literally anything he could possibly be carrying. After all the other security checks, pat downs bomb sniffing Growlithe, and psychic scanning pokemon were just some of the extra measures the airport also took.

It took almost a half hour to get through those security checks, and now, he felt his irritation grow as he sat in the Kanto Airport. After the pain that was the security check, Brock found that Misty was late, and the plane was going to begin boarding in ten minutes. He knew he couldn't wait for her, and if she didn't make it, she'd have to find her own way to Unova.

"Misty, hurry up."

The Doctor-to-be sighed, and shook his head. This was such a mess. Ash missing, Pikachu probably with him, and the situation serious enough that Ash's mother and Professor Oak themselves went off in search for him right off the bat. He didn't know what was going on, as Delia and Oak disappeared before answering anyone's questions, but the fact that those two ran off straight away was a big enough warning to emphasize it to Brock. Ash needed their help, and he wasn't going to let his friend remain in trouble. Friends for life, friends til death.

But, in all honesty, Brock was surprised it hadn't happened earlier. Ash going completely missing? Ash had an inability to stay out of trouble. Heck, for how often they ended up saving the world or region, you'd think he was destined or something beyond that one time he was actually part of a Prophesy.

Brock looked again at his watch, and sighed. Time was up, and it seemed Misty was on her own. He turned towards the loading gate, but before he could get ten feet, he heard a shout. "I'm here, wait up!"

Brock couldn't help but sigh in relief. Took her long enough. He turned towards the running female, and made sure to give her a look in disappointment. It was no small wonder how they seemed to miss every ferry, with both Ash, the trouble magnet, and Misty, the mistress of mischief in the group. "Took you long enough, Misty."

The female quickly ran up, and bent over to catch her breath. "The stupid airport security chose me for additional screening."

Brock sighed, and shook his head. She probably complained about the scanning machine or something, and got into an argument with security. "Well, you're here now, so, let's get going."

The pair boarded the plane with little fuss, but, after getting in their seats, Misty began to fidget. Brock tried to ignore her shuffling for a moment, before it became clear that she wasn't going to stop.

"You alright?"

Misty sighed, and nodded. "Yeah... just worried. Do you think he's ok?"

The rock typed trainer sighed, and shrugged. "It's Ash. He's either saving the world, or got in over his head. Again."

Misty gave another sigh, and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, yeah, Ash's an idiot, and he's probably doing idiotic things. But still, I'm worried."

Brock gave a small shrug to Misty, and sighed. She might have gotten over her crush, maybe, but she still cared heavily for the boy. "Don't worry Misty, We'll find him. And when we do, you can smack him around with your mallet or something."

Misty sighed, and gave a small nod. "I used that, like, once. Why does everyone think I use it all the time?"

"Because you do?"

The girl gave him a glare, and Brock brought his hands up in mock defense. "Alright, alright, you don't. But, you shouldn't worry too much. Knowing Ash, he's probably saved the world already, obliviously got the girl of the week or a random legendary to fall for him, and right now is just trying to figure out how to get home, or focusing on finding the nearest all you can eat buffet. I'm pretty sure he's fine, and if he isn't, we'll find him."

Misty gave a small, hopeful smile, and nodded. "I hope so."

* * *

Iris sat against the building, and gave a single sigh.

Rejected.

It hurt, but really, she didn't know what to expect. She didn't really have any way of determining which dragon was the problem. All she knew was that it was a Latios. A rare, endangered, and migratory pokemon who, even if they could find the right one, would end up just being put into the dragon village's breeding program, instead of being put down, simply because it was a legendary and being hunted to extinction. Besides, they did have a couple unpartnered Latias they recently took under their protective wing, and the Dragon village would enjoy a steady supply of such "user friendly" dragon types to help teach the beginners.

A win/win for everyone besides Ash. The dragons got mates and lived happily ever after, the village got some legendary pokemon that were seemingly custom made to help train the youngest, and Ash... got finished being digested.

Justice.

Iris "knew" why they did it. Even if it was dangerous, she herself had tamed an angry dragon who was "untamable". If worst came to worst, they would keep him locked up in the dragon cove, used only for reproductive purposes. He was impossible to locate, impossible to prove guilty, and worth more alive than Ash was to her village.

And every one of those facts hit her like a mega-punch. No matter what, if she went through her village, justice wouldn't be done. He'd, at most, get kept in a cove, and given a steady supply of females to breed with. That sounded more like a reward than punishment.

But, Iris had a plan B. She just had to get the guts to go through with it.

It wasn't illegal, if anything, it was the opposite, but it meant going against the orders her clan made. She could just call the number on that little card she had in her hand, and she'd have the equivalent of professional dragon slayers hunt down and provide justice to the dragon who dared kill her friend. But, by doing so, she'd be ignoring the council's order to drop the matter. She didn't know what they would do, but she didn't imagine that it'd be gentle.

"I'm stuck between what's right, and what I've been told."

She froze for a second, before rolling her eyes, and pulling out her pokegear. She really should have used that wording earlier.

It only took her a moment to dial the number, and, once she did, it rang a couple times before someone answered. "Hello? Fortress pokemon relocation, how can I help you?"

Iris sighed, before giving her reply. "Hello? I was given this card by... an employee of yours. I can't remember his name, but he said you could help me."

There was a small pause on the phone, before an answer was made. "I'll transfer you to Mr. Silma. One moment, please."

Iris sighed, and waited as a musical waiting tone popped up. She waited for several moments, before another voice suddenly answered, booming into her earpiece. "Hello? This is Mr. Silma speaking."

Iris jumped, before answering awkwardly. "Hello! I, er... I was given this card by an employee of yours. He said I could get help from you."

There was a pause on the other side, before Mr. Silma responded. "That's not very much to go off of, miss. Do you have the employee's name?"

Iris winced. She really should've gotten his name before she went. "No... I don't. But, er, if this helps, the problem I had was with a Latios."

There was a second pause, before another loud exclamation was made. "Ah! Yes... I remember hearing from my assistant about that. Iris, is it? It's not often a Legendary becomes a problem, let alone one so heavily endangered."

Iris sighed, and nodded. "Yeah... sorry. But, could you still help me?"

The man sighed on the other end. "I could, yes. But, before I start, I have other questions for you. You said you were a dragon master, correct?"

"No, I'm just a beginner in my clan."

The man gave a bark of laughter. "Sorry, miswording on my part; there are very few true dragon masters. But, back to what I was going for, my company has a severe lack of employees with any dragon type experience. Now, this wouldn't be a problem if we didn't care about keeping the dragons unharmed, but, seeing as our department is relocation, not capture and removal, we usually try and capture them using peaceful means. Now, are you over 18, or a registered pokemon trainer?"

Iris nodded awkwardly, before rolling her eyes at the act and answering. "I'm a trainer."

The man sounded happy with that. "That's great. Now... say... if you wanted, we could hire you. Pay you to learn and work with dragons. And... maybe, if you submitted the problem with the Latios anonymously, once we have you trained, we could have you as part of the team to bring that dragon in. According to one of the companies that hire us, we've been having a ton of problems with the dragonite line in johto, and we need as many dragon trainers as we can. We have you trained up a bit, transfer you there if you wanna see the world, and keep our ear to the ground for any Latios in Unova. If we find one, we'll have you shipped back here, and you can be part of the team that catches him. Then, once he's caught, we can send him to euthanization."

Iris nodded. She had to admit, the idea sounded... appealing. She would get to travel the world, just like Ash used to. See all he seen, learn more about dragons and grow. Get strong enough to capture the dragon herself. She'd get her cake, and make Ash, her father and mother, all of her friends, proud. She'd fulfill her dream, and still get revenge.

But... she would end up leaving her clan. At least temporarily. Her home would be in a different country, on a different side of the planet. She'd be far away from Cilan, from her dad, from all her friends back home.

But, again, she'd be able to finally capture that dragon. Bring it to justice. Do what was right.

She was torn, and she had no idea what to choose. What would Ash do?

It was with that thought that she decided. "I... I think I'd like that."

* * *

"Alright. So, did you find out anything important to say outright, before we go over the complete briefing, Habni?"

The eldest of the pair sighed, and nodded. "Ooooh yeah. So, turns out, The Princess actually got a name."

Lorip blinked in surprise, before nodding. "Oh? And what would it be?"

"Atiae. Her claimed used it accidentally when they were helping train the hatchlings. And he's a damn slave driver, that one is."

Lorip thought on that revelation for a moment, before nodding. "We'll go over that later. Anything else?"

"That mouse of his is still absolutely terrifying."

"Duly noted. So, as for the formal briefing, I'll start off with this. How does the princess behave around Ash? Does she focus on him, trust him, or is she using him as a front for maybe someone else?"

Habna rolled his eyes. "No, dad. She really was focused on him. Seems not to trust him much, though. Maybe he didn't leave on good terms, but left good enough to still have a relationship. Maybe had to leave or something. But, she was eyeing him like a piece of meat, though. I have a feeling why she was so insistent on leaving on that trip, huh, Habni?"

His twin snorted. "She's probably-"

"No. Let us focus on what the pair did, not what you think the pair's doing. So, she is good on her half. What about his?"

Habna sighed, and shrugged. "He was affectionate, seemed to care, and spent some time giving her minor affection. He seems awkward with it, though, but it might have been because he was being watched by 24 young things. He didn't spend any time focusing on any adult females besides one who flirted with him, and all he did there was look awkward. So, he doesn't seem to have a wandering eye."

Lorip gave another nod, and looked over to Habni. "So, Ash and the Princess are close. Did you notice any problems? Issues, or concerns?"

Habni nodded, and floated forward. "She' kinda cold with Ash. Not as bad as she is with, like everyone, sure, but she was focused, and... well, she didn't do much beyond sit back, and look at him fondly. It was almost like she was afraid to say something. Even when she did, a lot of it seemed forced, like she didn't want to try. But, that might've been because she was trying to flirt. Also, make a note that Arceus, is she bad at that."

Habna snorted at that, and nodded. "I thought she was trying to scare him away, until I noticed that she was all disappointed when it didn't actually work. I'd say she needs lessons, but... well, it's a little late for that."

Lorip nodded. "So, last bit for the princess, you said she had a name?"

Both of the twins nodded, and the eldest smiled brightly. "Yeah! Atiae. At first, I thought it was just a nickname, until they said it was her name. Her actual name. Her name name. Her genuine-

"Habna, I think we get it."

The eldest rolled his eyes, and nodded. "Fine. Well, when he accidentally blurted it out, he looked like he just called his grandma a nasty swear. It was great."

The old shade sighed, and shook his head. He wished he knew this earlier. Now, he had too many secrets in one pile. It was already dangerous keeping the exact age of the princess quiet, and now, there was the fact that she had a formal name she refused to disclose. The two together would make it seem as if she didn't trust the council, which, while true, didn't exactly endear her to them.

The majority, excluding Lulu and Larry, expected to be kept in the loop, and such large, if completely useless secrets would harm their trust in her. Heck, if Lorip didn't know of the sheer loathing the Princess held for all of them, he'd be offended too.

"Very well. Is it possible to hide the name from the public?"

Habni sighed, and shook his head. "No, dad. He called her it in public, and she accepted it pretty well. Maybe, she just wanted to make it some weird romantic gesture. I don't know humans very well, so maybe it's just a human thing."

Lorip nodded, and smiled. "Good catch. If it's brought up, we'll spin a tale of how it's customary to give one's first name only to their claimed where Ash hails from until the claim is complete. And seeing as the Princess has no true last name, she forfeited her name to her claimed. Make it seem romantic, and no one will question."

"Alright. So, er, Ash and the Princess also watched a single hatchling."

Lorip growled a bit, and shook his head. "Did you find out the parents?"

The pair shook their heads as one. "No. We couldn't, but that's probably because they started at the beginning of second watch. We waited for two hours, and no one showed, and the caretakers didn't seem to expect anyone. We told the lot not to tell any parents that the hatchling got special attention from the Princess' claimed, to be safe though. We would've told the one who gave Ash the hatchling, but we weren't sure who it was."

Lorip blinked, before looking at an awkward Habni. "And where were you?'

Habni shuffled, and shook his head. "Well... there was this amorous couple nearby, and... I kinda got distracted telling them off. They were near hatchlings, dad."

The old shade sighed, and shook his head. "And, if there was a shade following you and waiting for you to slip up?"

The eldest twin sighed. "Ash would'a died."

"Yes. Now, as punishment, you're unofficially scheduled for the night watch. You are free at in the morning for sleep. Oh, and one last thing..."

Habni nodded expectantly.

"As you're Ash's only shade, you will have unpredictable free time. As such, I'll permit you to take time off when night falls, and the Princess and Ash are both sharing their nest. You may or may not have extra free time that way, but, if you do, you can spend that extra time to find yourself a mate, and make me some grandchildren."

Both the twins groaned at that, and Lorip smiled. "Maybe Youpi. She can't hunt worth a damn, but she is one of the strongest and most skilled, and the most attractive Latias in the herd. I fail to see how hunting and fighting don't coincide, but maybe you'll find her secret."

"Daaaad, come on, can't you let it die? And, didn't you say the Princess was like the grandchild you never had?"

Lorip chuckled, and shrugged. "She might be, but I'd love to have many more. And you two are the ones I have to depend on. You two are free for the rest of the day."

The pair nodded, and shot off in the same direction. Lorip watched this, and smiled. "Everything seems to be going just fine."

* * *

**A/N So, Pikachu and Umbreon had a little chat, Iris is starting down her little path, Brock and Misty are on their way to Unova, and The three Shades are content with Ash's behavior. Ah well, the chap was crap anyway. XD**

**So, next chapter will be fun, with Atiae/Ash antics, Ash learning some basic crap, and maybe, their return to Altomare. We're getting closer to the end of act one, so stay tuned!**

**Oh, and if you got any comments, concerns, raging, con crit, complaints, etc, shoot me a review or a Pm. I love to answer them, regardless of what they are!**

**And, a few last tidbits. The next chapter is either gonna be out before the tenth, or a week or so after, just because Fallout 4. I've been awaitin' for that game, and now, I can finally play it!**

**And, lastly, I had a cut scene from the chapter I didn't want to scrap, so I threw it up here as an Omake. tell me what you think. it's not much, but... meh.**

* * *

**OMAKE, BECAUSE I REALLY LIKED THIS**

Pikachu groaned at the joke, and shook his head. In-your-end-o? Really? "Do you have anything else?"

Umbreon smiled, and nodded. "Yes. So, "Wanna hear a dirty joke?"

Pikachu sighed, and nodded, simply deciding to humor her. "A Tepig playing in the mud. Want to hear a clean joke?"

The mouse groaned, already knowing where this was going. "Sure."

"A human bathing in bubbles. Want to hear a dirty joke?"

The starter groaned, and nodded one more time. "Yeah... sure."

"The acidic bubbles burst upon their body, rapidly stripping their flesh to their great surprise. And, as their screams of agony ring out throughout the area, the pain distracts them from the local Mudkip that slowly surround them, and prepare to feed."

Pikachu froze, and looked over to Umbreon. "...The hell was that?"

Umbreon raised an eyebrow, confused, and gave Pikachu a look. "A dirty joke? The book said you should alter the jokes to fit your situation, and I did as such."

The electric type groaned again, and shook his head. "And when did you ever watch Mudkip eat a human alive?"

Umbreon gave a small shrug, and gave him a frown. "Never, but it is in the book "Pokemon predators" and it's sequel, "Pokemon Predators II, the Holy censored edition."

"... The holy Censored edition?"

Umbreon nodded, happy that she caught Pikachu's attention. "Yes. It's a controlled book, seeing as it was mostly innuendo, and visceral violence. As such, the lab has forty two copies."

Pikachu groaned, and shook his head once more. It was going to be a long night.


	28. A series of firsts

**A/N So, I'm back! **

**Now, I truly enjoyed that break. Nothing but me, Fallout 4, and... Not much else, besides Starcraft II. It was nice, but now I'm back!**

**So, I apologize for a few things, right off the bat. Firstly, I may have no responded to all the last chap's reviews. I replied to a ton, but... I may have missed a few. **

**Secondly... I'm sorry for the wait. I enjoyed my break a little much, and I took a little longer than planned. And, lastly, I apologize about the chapter; It's probably a little wonky. I have been away, after all, and I need to get back into the swing of things.**

**Oh! And I've reached 500 Favs, and 600 Follows! You're all uber awesome!**

**And a mighty big thanks to my Beta, Syrup-Waffle! He's awesome. **

* * *

Ash never did like bright light. But, while he could handle the sun's rays most of the time, his patience for it dwindled to nearly nothing in the morning, where his darkness adjusted eyes found themselves forcibly acclimated, and the light, if bright enough, could even drive him, one of the most heavy of sleepers he knew, into the waking world. Ash was certainly no exception, and while it did take longer than most, the cheerful solar rays from his uncovered window never failed to wake him. And while most would say that he did put up a good fight, Ash trying his hardest to ignore the light pouring into his eyes was a pointless venture. The sun refused to be ignored.

He gave a small groan of irritation, lamenting the loss of good dreams and comfortable pillows, and begrudgingly stretched, mindlessly giving the sun and all it stood for death threats, which it happily accepted, and seemingly reciprocated.

Ash groaned grumpily, at fact that he was so rudely woken by the sun, and groaned a second time, once he realized that his neck was, once again, far longer than it should be. He wasn't supposed to have that. At least, not yet.

His eyes opened quickly as he groaned with a mixture of irritation and apprehension, and did his best to sit up and look himself over. Sure enough, the illusion had died, and he was left in, yet again, all his draconic glory, something he was not very appreciative of.

He scowled a bit in irritation, and shook his head. He had hoped it would've lasted the night.

The male then gave a grouchy sigh, and rolled his eyes. He'd have to have the illusion renewed. And, who better to renew it, than the female snuggled into his back? He turned to look behind him, and... She wasn't there.

Except she was. He could feel it. Vaguely.

Except, he couldn't. It was a paradox he couldn't explain.

Ash paused for a moment, before groaning in exasperation. Never mind the fact that he couldn't see her, the new-ish feeling of her presence when he couldn't locate her was giving him a headache. He didn't like new developments like this, and his still new body was giving him another one. The last one had been bad enough, with his sudden protectiveness and all, but now phantom senses was being heaped up on there.

Brilliant.

But, regardless of how, he knew she was there. He couldn't feel her or see her, but just about every instinct told him that she was currently clinging to his back. But, no matter how he searched, there was a lack of a red dragon. He looked over his spine, hoping to spot maybe at least a pillow, but when he managed to get his neck far enough, he saw nothing. His back was "clear."

And, it was at this moment that he realized two things. The first off, that life wasn't fair, and second, that his body was a filthy liar.

"Atiae? I know you're there."

And it was then that he saw the smallest flicker of... something on his back. It was the smallest distortion, and, had he not "known" that she was there, he probably wouldn't have noticed it. He sighed in exasperation, and shook his head. She was invisible and probably under an illusion, while clung to his back. He'd ask why, if he didn't have more pressing matters, such as breakfast, the growing need to go to the bathroom, and the fact that he was a dragon, sitting on his bed with Mimey doing who knows what.

He grumbled, and tried to immediately poke her with an arm, but found it both too short, and unable to bend in the direction. He tried once more, before giving another tired groan, and instead opted to use the one part of his body that could reach. His face. He gave another grouchy sigh. Morning sucked.

"Come on, Ati, wake up. I'm literally rubbing my face on you. At least wake up and be creepy, or something."

"No wanna..."

Ash frowned, and stared at where the cloaked Lati lay. The universe was taunting him at this point. "Come on... er, wakey wakey?"

The female just grumbled mindlessly, and managed to dislodge herself from between his wings and scooted a bit away, making him sigh. Ironically, he had little experience waking others beyond Pikachu, and that usually involved shaking him until he zapped you. And she was hidden behind him, making that option difficult. At this point, beyond head butting her until she woke up, there wasn't much he could do until she was at least off of his wings. "Please?"

Another grumble, and she let out a loud snore. She made it clear that she wasn't getting up.

Ash sighed, and took a moment to think about just going back to bed. But, before that train of thought could get far, his bladder suddenly lurched. Ah yes. He'd forgotten about that.

"Wake up? Pretty please? I gotta go."

Atiae was unmoved by his desperate plea, and simply replied with another somewhat loud snore.

Ash gave a small huff, and looked away. She wasn't waking up, and he had to go. He could force her up, but... She was sleeping, and Ash had no idea what she'd do if he woke her. Maybe strike him? A dragon breath attack? Grumble, and roll her eyes? No, the risks were simply too great.

But... maybe he didn't need her. The bathroom was right across the hall, and if he was lucky, he'd be able to just rush in, and get back out before Mimey noticed. He'd finish his business, and go to the bathroom real quick, and then, be back in bed before anyone was the wiser.

His bladder immediately agreed, and he sighed. Very well. Might as well test his paradoxical luck.

Ash slowly and carefully wiggled the rest of his wing out from under the invisible sleeping female, all the while trying his hardest to ignore the surreal experience. After all, it wasn't often that you had to get out from under something you couldn't see or fully feel. But, after a small amount of effort, he broke free, and hovered slightly over the bed. His bed was surprisingly small, and he found himself wondering how he fit in the first place, let alone with Atiae alongside him.

But, before he could think more on that, his bladder gave yet another angry lurch, and he grimaced before mindlessly rushing into the hall. He'd just have to wake her when he got back. Nature was calling.

And, immediately after he closed the door, he was spotted by Mimey.

Ash immediately froze, and the pair looked at each other for a moment, Ash not daring to make a single move. If she thought it was an attack, she'd just lock him in an invisible box, and that sounded much worse than a swat to the head. "Er, Good morning, Ash. I was just about to wake you."

The male blinked once, completely confused, before looking down at himself, as if expecting something to have changed. But no, he was still a dragon. And yet, there was a distinct lack of broom upside his head. This morning was a strange one, truly.

"Oh, er... hi?"

Mimey smiled, looking him over casually, before nodding in approval. "So... Seeing as you're up, I'll get breakfast ready. Feel free to come down when you're ready."

Ash nodded slowly, still completely bewildered. But he wasn't about to let this blessing go unused. "Oh, umm... Ok. But, I... Bathroom?"

Mimey simply nodded in reply, giving him a slightly confused look. "Alright? I'll see you downstairs."

Ash hesitated for a single moment, before floating over to the bathroom door. "Er, sure."

Mimey looked away, and Ash shot into the bathroom.

* * *

After he finished with his business, Ash immediately began to ponder on how he didn't get smote by Mimey, destroyer of dragons, hunger, and the occasional dust bunny.

Maybe she was going senile?

He almost immediately dashed that idea. No, he may have had no idea how old Mimey was, but she wasn't that old. Professor Oak said she was middle aged for her species, and while he didn't know how old that was, he was sure she wasn't that old yet.

Maybe she knew that he was a Latios? That idea had merit, but... how? Even Pikachu, his best friend, didn't believe him right off that bat. How could Mimey? Unless Pikachu explained it to her last night when he wandered off. That was entirely possible, but he'd have to ask either Mimey or Pikachu for confirmation.

The only other idea Ash had was that the illusion wore off him, but still held for everyone else. Sure, he could see what he was, but to everyone else? Same old Ash Ketchum.

That idea sounded better. Made him feel better, too.

As such, Ash decided that, either way, he was disguised or found out, and that he might as well get some breakfast. After all, food was always a good idea, and at this point, it didn't matter which it was. Besides, Atiae was still pretty tired. Maybe he should just let her sleep in.

He wandered downstairs, and quickly found that Mimey worked quick. There was a decent amount of food, warm and waiting for him, and anyone else who bothered to wake up. Except, well, Atiae was asleep, and Pikachu was who-knows-where, doing who-knows-what with who-knows-who.

Ah well. More for him. So much more for him.

Ash immediately loaded up a plate clumsily, and started scarfing down food rapidly. This was the life. Cooked bacon, eggs, sausage, some softened Oran berries, and plenty of orange juice and milk. None of those raw fish and berries, straight off the bush. Not that they were bad, but nothing beat a home made meal.

Ash spent the next ten minutes scarfing down a couple dozen more eggs, before attempting to clumsily grab his glass of milk. Oh yeah, sharp, inflexible claws, with naught a thumb to be seen. He held back a groan of exasperation, and grabbed the glass clumsily with his two clawed hands. He also was forced to lower his neck, simply so he could reach the glass.

He missed being human.

"Ash, your wing is in the bacon."

The male groaned at that, and leaned up. He seemed to have drifted to the side while he was trying to drink his juice.

Oh, and he wasn't under an illusion. That limited his options. "So... Er, Pikachu told you?"

Mimey shrugged, and shook her head. "Yes, last night. But, even before that, you two gave it away, talking like a pokemon. I just put two and two together."

Ash sighed, and shook his head, shoveling another couple eggs into his much larger mouth. It was always something that gave him away. "So... you just guessed?"

Mimey nodded. "It was pretty simple, seeing as I recognized the dialect."

"And you... actually believe me?"

The female psychic type nodded again. "Of course, Ash. You're pretty easy to recognize, be you human or pokemon. Besides, I recall a certain Pikachu incident. Not to farfetch'd to think it wasn't possible again, even if you upped the ante this time. Add the fact that Pikachu confirmed it, and..."

Ash groaned, and shook his head. He underestimated Mimey.

"Oh, But before I forget, Noctowl stopped by. Said he wanted to talk to you in private about something."

Ash nodded, and looked back up to the upstairs hallway. Atiae was probably still asleep. Maybe he should wake her up. "How important did he say it was?"

"He tried his hardest to be all dramatic, dear, but he failed to truly convey the message. I think it was important, though. And he requested that you come alone."

The male chuckled at that. That was certainly Noctowl. He took another gulp of his orange juice, and sighed. He had his fill, anyway. Might as well see what he needed.

"I guess I'll get going. Tell Atiae when she wakes up where I went."

Mimey nodded, and Ash floated towards the door. But, before he could get far, he stopped. "Er, where did you say he was?"

The female smiled softly, and rolled her eyes. "Probably wherever he likes to hide for privacy. He did say private, after all."

Ash nodded again, and opened the door. He hoped he remembered the location right.

* * *

"Took you long enough, Ash."

Ash gave a small smile at his flying type, and nodded. Out of all his Pokemon, Noctowl was the most level headed, even if he was one of the more... theatrical of the group.

"Sorry, just had to wake up, and... well, find where you were. I ended up going to Totodile's pond on accident."

The flying type nodded, and looked into the distance. "I thought I told Mimey where I would wait, but it matters little now. So, I called you here to fulfill my duty as your pokemon."

Ash nodded hesitantly, and tilted his head. He honestly had no idea where his pokemon was going. "What does that mean?"

The owl sighed. "Do you recall what you've done for me?"

The male pondered one the question for a moment. He caught him, and... Not much else. "Not really?"

Noctowl sighed. "You trained me. Made me strong. You helped me with Dr. Wiseman as well. And now, I feel the need to return the favor."

"You're... gonna save me from a doctor?" The male asked, scratching his head.

"No. I'm going to train you."

Ash smiled at that. "Oh! That makes more sense, I guess."

"But before I begin anything, I must know how much have you been taught in regards to psychic type attacks and training."

Ash blinked, before shrugging. He'd been meaning to ask Atiae about that. "Nothing."

Noctowl nodded, and looked back to Ash. "That is, to me, good news, if only because I was wishing to help you start. Once I heard that you became a psychic typed legendary, I knew what I would do. After all, you trained me, you helped me, and it is only fair that I train you in return. And while I know you say that my friendship is enough, for me, it is not. I still wish to make it up to you, beyond merely feeling fond of you."

The male dragon smiled softly at that. "Thank you, Noctowl."

"You are most welcome. I know that you understand the basics of practicing and improving psychic skills, but the only pokemon I know of that can properly use them is I, and I already knew the basics of psychic attacks when you met me. You must know how to start, and how to get strong enough, skilled enough, to control those methods in the first place. And that is what I'll be teaching you."

Ash nodded, his excitement growing. "Ok, awesome! What are you gonna teach me?"

The large bird gave his equivalent of a smirk, and shook his head. "First off, I must teach you the absolute basics. Tell me, do you know how psychic energy works?"

Ash shook his head.

"Psychic energy is... One moment, I need to think of a way you'll understand. I almost forgot who I was teaching, after all."

Ash scowled at the jab, and gave a huff, to which Noctowl chuckled at. "Ah, that'll do. Ash, to start it off, psychic energy is unique. It affects different things in completely separate ways, and there is little connection between those. It does, however, follow several different sets of guide lines."

The male legendary nodded.

"As an example. Psychic energy affects the mind easily. Now, that makes sense, being basically a form of mental energy. However, its ways of effecting the mind are unique, and if it followed its other rules for everything else, it'd kill the target. When one attacks the mind, the energy has no physical effects. But, when you attack the body, it damages and destroys nearly everything, with the only limit being scale. Does that make sense?"

The dragon paused. "Er... I think?"

The flying type accepted his reply. "So, when affecting the physical realm... It is very similar to how Pikachu's electric type attacks work. Psychic energy is much like electricity, in the way it is attracted to others. Psychic energy naturally tries to gravitate towards anything and everything; it pulls those things towards itself as well, all at the same time. It is notoriously easy to push out, but controlling it is incredibly difficult compared to other methods of attack. Because, unlike electricity, which is attracted towards anything with an opposite charge, and thus easy to guide once you know how, psychic energy is attracted naturally to everything, with the only factors being your will and desire to prioritize. Your emotions. Your mind. Your heart and soul, all at once, determine what your energy focuses on."

Noctowl paused, looking at Ash. "While electricity will follow the path of least resistance, psychic energy will, if not commanded or directed, travel towards whatever is either nearest, and whatever catches your, and its, fancy. If you believe that flower in the nearby field is pretty, much of your psychic energy will focus on that. Your anger towards your mate because of some slight or argument will make her its target."

Ash blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Psychic energy isn't limited to conscious thought. It will try and go after anything your mind focuses on or notices, be it willing or unwilling, conscious or unconscious. You can try a psychic attack, and if you don't have the strength of mind to force it to go where you wish, it could go after Pikachu, simply because you're feeling particularly fond of him at that moment. Or it could go off of something your mind barely registers out of the corner of your eye. Your conscious intent has almost no sway here, and the only thing that controls the attack is your will, and your strength of mind."

Ash nodded mindlessly, and the flying type continued. "There is a reason why pure psychic types are so emotionally backwards. Why Alakazam are so emotionally stunted, or Gardevoir so terrifyingly single minded. Why Hypno tend to be so sadistic. The more power you have, the more control you need, and naturally, for a psychic type, strong emotions are a weakness. Psychic energy is random, but it will try and focus on the causes of emotions. "

"Psychic energy is also one of the few cases where the more powerful you are, the less effective you'll be, simply because you can't control it, and thus, will need to use less. You'll always be forced to limit yourself, just to avoid harming others nearby, and the more you have, the more difficult it is to learn. And it doesn't help that, pound for pound, psychic energy is so much more powerful than any other form of attack. As an example, a single "Ounce" of psychic energy is worth twenty or forty pounds of anything else. However, even with amazing, prodigious, insane amounts of control, you'll be able to control a less than a gram of that ounce. Psychic energy has a terrifyingly massive amount of bleed-off, and regardless of your control, you'll lose almost all of your psychic energy to your surroundings."

"That is why you feel a form of static whenever a powerful psychic attack goes off. While a decent amount of that energy goes into the attack, most of it goes into the air. The ground. You, and everyone nearby. For every "gram" that goes into the attack, countless unfocused ounces are lost to everything nearby. And that's the biggest trick for psychic attacks. Keeping the energy in the attack, as well as keeping the bleed-off as bleed-off, preventing it from attempting to form a second, uncontrolled version of the attack, or even just focusing on a singular being. If a single gram of psychic energy can become one of the most powerful psychic attacks known to pokemon kind, what would several ounces do to someone?"

Ash nodded, suddenly feeling rather hesitant. "So... er, why should I learn psychic attacks, if they're so dangerous?"

Noctowl frowned lightly, and shook his head. "Because, as a pure psychic type, your psychic energy is part of you. It'll try its hardest to obey your will, your feelings, even if you don't want it to. Your energy, regardless of intent, aims to please, and it will try its hardest to do so, with or without your consent. But it isn't a truly living entity, and doesn't understand your higher thoughts, nor your complex emotions, or the context of why you feel why you do, but it will try to help anyway. That is why you must learn. Because, if you don't know how to control it, it will act on it' own when you least expect it. It doesn't understand the context, only the scale. Any powerful emotion will do, and the only thing off limits to it is yourself. It will focus on your thoughts, feelings, and attention, and regardless of context, that energy will focus on them. It will treat a loved one as much of a target as a hated foe. A flower is as much a threat as an incoming attack. The only language it truly understands is the amount of focus you have on the subject, and how strongly you feel for it.

Ash nodded. "So... what do I do?"

Noctowl sighed, and looked towards Ash. "I will teach you how to learn. I will teach you the most basic, least useful, and paradoxically, one of the most powerful and dangerous psychic attacks, psywave."

Ash scowled at its monkifier. "Psywave? How is that one of the most powerful?"

Noctowl smirked. "It is the most powerful, because no matter how much energy you pump into it, it works the same. It relies on what I just told you about your psychic energy following its natural course. All it requires is that you focus on your target with all your might, and compact and shove your psychic energy in its direction, and pray that it decides to prioritize the target, instead of any asinine thoughts you have floating in the back of your mind or one of the thousands of tiny observations your body makes without you. You can throw all your energy into it, and, if it connected, it would probably erase most of it out of existence. But, if it didn't..."

"It'll probably kill half the town?"

Noctowl nodded. "If it didn't just dissipate into the air and make us a massive psychic strobe viewable from space, yes. And that is its great limiter. How desperate are you, and how much are you willing to risk, while powering this attack? Is your fight a friendly one, or a fight to the death? Are you fighting to protect someone, or is this your last stand, where you stand alone, and thus, have nothing to lose? Because it'll either hit something fully, or become a massive dud. It's not guidable like most attacks, and follows its own will, once you let it go, and the only guide it has is your focus on your target when it was released. In reality, it's a trash attack, because it's extremely unreliable, and the amount of energy you'd put into it to make it league acceptable makes it almost useless. But, any psychic type can use it, and it's hilariously easy to learn. That is why this is what I'll teach you. Both to help you reach your potential, and to give you a healthy understanding of what it means to be a psychic type."

"But you're not a psychic type, Noctowl." Ash deadpanned.

The flying type nodded, but shook his head. "Officially, no. But I have long since learned these rules on my own. You helped me reach my potential, of course, but finding my psychic core was my own achievement, and mine alone."

Ash nodded, and smiled. "Well, thank you."

Noctowl smirked a bit. "Don't thank me yet. We still have to teach you this attack. Now, I believe you already have found your core, seeing as your flight is psychic based, so we'll skip that step. Now, feel your psychic energy flowing through you. Focus on it, and gather a small amount into your breast, or forehead. Even in your claws, or arms. You need a focal point, and it's best to find one and keep with it."

"Like eyes?"

"Never use your eyes. Your eyes will glow when you use a large amount of energy, yes, but never use your eyes as a focal point, as it makes them both a target and a liability. If you get in a fight with a dark type, they can use your psychic attack's feedback to blind you, most likely permanently. All it would take is a well timed shadow ball, and you'd either be blind, or dead, depending on what you were trying. An arm can handle a large amount of negative feedback, but your eyes are extremely delicate. It'd barely take a weak attack's worth of energy gathered in your eyes to make them rupture."

Ash scratched his head, and grumbled. "So many rules and things... What's feedback?"

Noctowl sighed. "The reason dark types are super effective against psychic types is that, when a dark type attack hits, it causes psychic energy to basically overload on itself. The psychic energy basically becomes normal energy, and tries to escape. It hits your reserves, and is quite painful, if only because our psychic energy normally tries to avoid harming us, and psychic burns hurt. And unless you're channeling an incomprehensible amount of energy in an arm or such, all you'll get is strange forms of bruises, light burns, and soreness where it hits. But, if your soft, delicate eyes were both your focal pointand the target to hit..."

Ash winced, and nodded. "I get it. I guess... Arms?"

Noctowl nodded. "Very well. Now, just focus your energy there. I'll help you draw it out, so pay attention to the feeling, because after this, you're on your own."

Ash nodded once, and did as he was told, and began pouring energy into his right arm. After he got a small amount in there, he nodded to Noctowl, who smiled. "Alright, now, focus on the feeling. Psychic energy is part of you, and if you try and continue holding it, you'll be able to feel it, as if it was an extra limb. I will guide your energy to the target, and once it's there, force your reservoir through that line. It will hit, so don't worry about anything but moving the energy."

Ash nodded, and felt the curious feeling of himself being... stretched away from his arm. It was curious, really, and he closed his eyes to focus on only that feeling. Noctowl took a moment, and connected the energy to a nearby tree.

"Now."

Ash quickly shoved the energy through the line, and felt a bright flash of what was... himself, hit the tree, and suddenly disappear. Immediately after, there was a very loud crack, and Ash opened his eyes to see the target tree fall over.

"Very good."

Ash smiled, and looked over to Noctowl. "That was awesome! But... er, I thought you said that Psywave could miss."

"Yes, but, what we did was more akin to a Psybeam. I guided the attack, and you powered it."

The male nodded, and looked back to the tree, which had a large hole blown through it. "So, er... How do you aim it?

Noctowl gave a small smile, and flew over to the nearby tree, landing on its fallen trunk. "Psywave, or Psybeam?"

"Both."

The bird rolled his eyes at Ash's exuberance. "For Psywave, you simply focus on your target, and pray that you're focusing on it enough. If you really want, you can use a guideline, but that severely limits the amount of power you can channel through it, although it makes it hit most of the time. As for Psybeam... You would need to make basically a tunnel of psychic energy, guiding the actual attack and containing it, which is basically a glorified Psywave, towards your target. And the more energy you plan on using in the attack, the larger and more reinforced the tunnel will need to be. However, there is a limit. It multiplies, and for every part of psychic energy you put into the attack, you need to put two or three into the tunnel. Or four. Or five. The bigger it gets, the more it multiplies. Perhaps I will teach you how to use that, if you master Psywave well enough."

Ash grinned. "Alright, I really wanna learn that, so, let's get started!"

* * *

Atiae let out a small groan, and took a short moment to compose herself, trying her hardest to force the sleep from her mind. She never was a morning person, and being abroad didn't change that fact. So... She was in Ash's bed, if she recalled correctly. Yep, definitely softer than her normal patch of dirt. And, Ash should still be in bed with her, the thought of which made her feel nervous. Damn. Still, she was in bed with him, which had always been a common dream of hers. Might as well try and get up, and maybe fight her way through this... unwelcome hesitance. She hadn't second guessed herself like this for nearly two years. What changed?

She sighed once at her plight, and clumsily swung an arm out, hoping to find Ash. He wasn't curled up against her, so he had to be close. But yet, the only thing she met was a pillow.

"Huh?"

The female sleepily sat up, and finally opened her eyes, and looked around. Her senses were still rebooting, but even with that, there was no mistaking the abrupt lack of Ash. She felt both disappointed and relieved. Ash wasn't here, but at least she didn't have to feel like a... child around him at the moment.

She took the moment to let loose a sigh, and gave a long stretch, looking at the nearby window. The sun was up a bit, so it had to be around noon. She got to sleep in. Lucky her. She smiled at the realization, and ran a claw over her feathers. And it was then that she noticed that her feathers felt rather... static-y. She paused, and prayed that she didn't cloak herself in her sleep. She hadn't done that since she was a child, and she was far too old for it.

Atiae then took the moment to sit up, and looked around the room, and found it rather well decorated. Half a dozen trophies, several frames holding badges, medals, or ribbons, and dozens of pictures. In fact, the picture she gave him, courtesy of Bianca, was on the wall as well.

That fact made her unwelcomely warm in the face.

She grumbled a bit, and made a couple more stretches. She couldn't even look at something that reminded her of him without blushing. She put her head in her claws, and sighed.

Then paused. She had claws again.

Crap.

She groaned again, this time out of irritation, and shook her head in disappointment. "I'm a total space case today."

She then gave a small psychic pulse in an attempt to find her wayward claimed. Sure, she might not be able to sit in the same room without blushing and stuttering, but that didn't mean she was gonna let him get in trouble without her. And, almost immediately, a psychic pulse responded with irritation flooding through its waves. Oh yeah, Mimey was a psychic as well.

Atiae hesitated for a second, considering remaking her illusion, but immediately decided to bail, and she instead made to scramble towards the room she was supposed to be sleeping in. Mimey obviously noticed the psychic pulse, and being caught as both a dragon and in her claimed's bedroom were worse than just one. But, before she could get to the door, it swung open, and she found herself under the glare of Mimey. "And why are you in master Ash's room?"

She froze for a moment, unable to properly respond. She was caught in multiple ways, and yet... Mimey was more concerned about her location, rather than her species. Did Ash explain everything to her? Or Pikachu? Or did she know from the beginning?

"I was, er... Looking for Ash?"

It wasn't a lie. Not really. She just held some information out.

Mimey gave her a suspicious look, looking over her for a moment, before nodding with a sigh. "Well, as you can see, he's not here."

Atiae gave a hesitant nod, and stared passively at the Mr. Mime. She was surprisingly composed for someone who found a random dragon in her house. Must have been her experience with Ash. "Er... So, do you know where Ash is?"

Mimey gave a nod, and turned around. "Yes, I do. But first, you should have some breakfast. I believe he left some for you.

The female legendary blinked at that. Ash left her food? She was far more touched than she should be. And now, she was slightly suspicious. She was being offered food now? She was supposedly a wild dragon, after all. She was missing something.

"Oh, er... thank you."

She followed the female caretaker downstairs, and, sure enough, there was some food still waiting on the table. Atiae floated over, and did her best to awkwardly sit in the chair. "Er... again, thank you."

Mimey nodded, and walked over to the sink, and began doing some dishes. "So... how did you sleep?"

The dragon paused, before beginning her breakfast. This was very casual conversation, all things considering. "Alright, I guess? So... Er, Pikachu tell you?"

Mimey shrugged. "About what? Your relationship with Ash?"

Atiae blinked again. She seemed more concerned with her... relationship with the boy? Did she honestly have a sign telling her intent? "I meant... Er, me. Being here."

The female mime shrugged, and continued working on the dishes. "Not truly. After all, you were here last night, weren't you, Atiae?"

The female dragon internally groaned. Mimey knew, which wasn't actually all that surprising. After all, she seemed smart enough. "How did you-"

"Well, it was rather obvious. Your illusion didn't cover your dialog, and I recognized the dialect. Pikachu merely confirmed it later."

The young Lati groaned internally. Now that was the big shortcoming of manually making illusions as a Changeling. You could forget something absurdly important. Like covering speech. She'd probably never hear the end of this from Pikachu. "So... Er, where is Ash?"

Mimey stepped away from the sink, and looked over at her, looking irritated. "So single minded, aren't you? One would think that you could trust in his ability to keep himself safe."

The psychic mime paused, before letting out a chuckle. "I'm sorry, I forgot who we were talking about. Ash is with one of his Pokemon. Noctowl, I think."

Atiae nodded, and took a bite of bacon. It was rather good. "So... Where is Noctowl?"

"I wouldn't know, in all honesty, beyond guessing that it would be near Ash's paddock. But you should ask Pikachu. He knows all of Ash's pokemon's little hiding spots. They got them scattered all over the forest surrounding Pallet."

The Latias grumbled, and rolled her eyes as she sipped at her orange juice. It could never be easy. "And where is Pikachu?"

"Probably at the research center. He went to talk with Umbreon, and never came back.

She gave an unhappy sigh, and nodded, finishing off her last bit of bacon. She didn't trust the dark type. Call it natural and all, be she was shifty. "Alright. Er, thanks for the food."

"You're welcome. But next time, please don't talk with your mouth full."

* * *

Atiae made a mistake.

Well, another one. It was an off day.

"Er... does anyone else see a big red dragon?"

The two other researchers simply nodded.

In all honesty, she shouldn't have run into the research center without an illusion. Sure, Umbreon said not to use them around her, but she probably would've let her get a pass, seeing as there were currently three researchers staring at her incredulously.

She wasn't in Altomare anymore. Being spotted was more than a slap on the wrist.

"Should we... catch it?"

The instant she heard the words, she scowled angrily. Nope. None of that. She refused to be caught by anyone but Ash, and she promised him she would be his. And she had somewhere to be besides, and she was sure that Ash's other Pokemon knew where he was too. She didn't need Pikachu, especially if it would end up getting her caught.

"Try one of those experimental Master balls that Silph-Co sent over. I think it's a legendary."

Oh, hell no.

Atiae immediately let out a growl, and bared her teeth. She wasn't about to let herself get caught by some... random research assistant. Her pride wouldn't allow it, and her heart wouldn't either.

She prepared to rush the male, but, before she could, the researcher froze. Umbreon was staring passively at him.

Where did she come from?

"No."

The researcher sat there, confused, before backing away a bit. They seemed to understand he quite well. "Oh, er... ok, Miss Umbreon."

"Get out of here."

The trio immediately shuffled out of the main lobby, and left the two of them alone.

"So... I'm curious. Are you dense, dumb, or desperate?"

Atiae scowled at that, but didn't get the chance to reply. "Because, from where I stand, you wandered into the worst possible place for you to be, wild one."

Wait... Wild one? "What do you-"

Umbreon cut her off again. "It's funny. I recall that you said you were Ash's pokemon last night, but yet, when I check his registry, I see no Latias. A Latios, yes, but no Latias. That means that you're still a free pokemon. One that can be captured. One that wandered into a place of cold, clinical learning. You know, the type that would catch you, and see how your body worked. How you ate, learned, breathed, fought. Maybe cut you up, or set you into a breeding program, which I doubt you'd enjoy, seeing as you've already got someone. So, why did you wander in here? I hope it's important."

Atiae suddenly felt rather stupid. Arceus, she felt off today. "Er, do you know where Pikachu is?"

Another nod. "Of course. But is that why you wandered in here? I can understand his importance, but I doubt you share my opinions for that."

Atiae hesitated again, and frowned. She really didn't think this through. "I... Well, can you just take me to him?"

Umbreon didn't immediately respond, and instead opted to stare at her. But, after a long moment, she sighed, and gave a nod. "This way."

The female awkwardly followed the dark type through the main lobby, and into a stairwell, where they proceeded to the bottom floor. "He's in the lounge. It's normally where I stay to sleep."

Umbreon then led her to said lounge. It was down another long hall, and Atiae idly wondered how big this place truly was. It was pretty small from the outside. But once they got to the lounge, she found herself in a small, compact room with a couch, a desk, and not much else. "And there he is. Is it everything you wished for? Because you nearly lost your freedom for it."

Atiae groaned at the sight. He was completely passed out on the couch. "Ugh, really? Pikachu. Come on, wake up."

The mouse was unmoved.

"Please, Pikachu. I need to find... my mate."

Almost let it slip, there. She was sure that calling Ash by his name would be a horrible idea.

But, try as she might, the electric type didn't wake. Maybe she'd have to use force.

"He's always like this after he gets Pokenip."

At that, Atiae blinked in surprise. "Really? Pokenip?"

Umbreon nodded, but she seemed rather irritated herself. "Yes. A gift from my trainer, who thought I'd like a Pokenip filled mouse. But I am no cat, and I have told him such, but he is not Ash, and never did have the affinity to understand us pokemon like your "trainer" does, nor does he have the cultural sensitivity to understand the grave insult he gave me. So, I gave it to Pikachu, who, due to his trainer's strict rules in dietary matters, isn't allowed the plant in any way. I found the whole situation ironic, a mouse eating a mouse, but he enjoyed it. But what do you need him for?"

Atiae hesitated again. "Well... I need to find my claimed. He's with Noctowl, and I don't know where he is, so..."

"You thought the mouse could lead you to him. But, alas, he's unconscious, and any attempt at waking him would probably be an unenjoyable experience for all of us, as he has never been much of a morning person, and after a full dose of Pokenip, he'll be in a fouler mood than normal. But lucky for you, I also know where the owl would be."

The female dragon blinked. "You do?"

"Yes. But I am quite busy, and will need something to make it worth my time."

Atiae paused. She was no stranger to such requests, and she knew better than to blindly agree. "And what would that be?"

"I will ask you some questions, and you will need to answer them truthfully. It's for a scientific journal, and seeing as the researchers already know you're here, it also prevents me from looking like a slacker. You get your owl, I get some questions answered."

The Latias hesitated for a moment, before nodding. It wasn't like she knew any secrets that could harm her species, and Whirlwind seemed to know it all, anyway. "Will it be quick?"

Umbreon nodded. "It will be only ten questions."

"That's... acceptable."

At that, the female dark type pulled out a pen and clipboard, all held in a psychic field. She then looked at Atiae, and gave a professional smile. It looked extremely fake. "Very well. First question. What is your species' diet mainly consist of?"

Atiae paused, before sighing. It wasn't a huge secret. "Fish. Mostly Magikarp and Goldeen, but we catch Seaking, Horsea, and Gyarados as well. Any fish will do, besides Kingdra."

Umbreon jotted that down, and looked back at her. "Next question. What is your species' mating methods? Monogamous, Polyamourous, or non-romantically inclined?"

Atiae felt her cheeks warm slightly, but she answered quickly. Again, it was no secret. "Monogamous."

Another quick scribble. "Very well. How is your social structure set up? Is there a single leader, a council, or is it a vague group who stay together, or do they move around in pairs?"

Not a secret. "Single leader."

"Next question. How often are you sexually active?"

Atiae paused. She wasn't expecting a personal question, let alone something that personal. She hesitated for a moment, before blushing slightly. "Umm... Never?"

Umbreon stared at her for a moment, as if deciding if she was lying, before jotting down something. "How does your kind bond romantically?"

Another commonly known answer, but this one was a little more embarrassing. "We hunt, spend time together, and... often check sexual compatibility."

Umbreon took note of the female's embarrassed expression, and nodded. "And you haven't done that? Why?"

"I was... raised by humans. I am familiar with their morals. And... I'm sure we can learn."

"Ah." Was the dark type's only answer, as she jotted down on the clip board. "Next question. How are inter-species relationships viewed for your kind?"

Atiae hesitated. That one was considerably more private. And it hit closer to home. "It depends."

"How so?"

"Er... with the species. According to legends, long ago, humans were... acceptable? Now, they're not. At all."

Umbreon nodded once, and jotted the answer down. That was to be expected, she supposed. After all, genocide rarely brought happy feelings between the perpetrator and the victim. "And other species?"

Atiae just shrugged. She honestly didn't know, beyond dark types being a no-go.

The dark type jotted down on the clip board, and sighed. "Next question. What is the normal gestation period for an egg for your species?"

The dragon's face grew slightly warmer. There seemed to be a theme, and she didn't like it much. "Two months?"

"Very well. And how long does it take to reach adult hood?" Umbreon didn't even bother looking away from the clipboard at the question.

"Fifteen years."

"And how often does a paired couple reproduce?"

Her face grew warmer still. She didn't want to think about it. "Every two months?"

Umbreon paused at that, which made Atiae blush slightly at her expression. She looked genuinely surprised. "That often? Really?"

Atiae gave an embarrassed nod.

"Your kind must be either effective at rearing hatchlings, or they die off often." Atiae scowled at that. "Last question. How long does a pairing couple stay together?"

"It's a permanent bond."

Umbreon nodded, and wrote something on the clip board. "Very well. Now, I believe I offered to take you to Noctowl. Let's go."

The female legendary looked over to Pikachu, and frowned. "What about him?"

The dark type shrugged, looking rather apathetic. "He's a big boy. He'll manage alone, and even if he couldn't, I'm coming back here anyway. Now, let's go. I don't have much free time as it is."

* * *

"Again."

Ash was exhausted. But it was more mental than physical. It was difficult, trying to put every scrap of focus he had onto his target, and even then, the attack loved to try and shoot over towards Noctowl, who'd easily deflect it while looking bored, or that funny looking boulder to the side, who took his strikes in stride. He was hitting little more than half the time, unless he used that guideline method, and when he did that, it barely left a dent in the stone he was wailing at.

But, as ordered, Ash summoned up his energy, and focused on the rock, sending yet another psychic burst towards it. This time it hit, and he felt some joy at the fact.

"Very good. Now, I will return with a new target. In the mean time, keep practicing."

Ash sighed, and nodded. Noctowl had been leaving and returning with psychically imbued rocks, which, according to the owl, were a much more difficult target, because of something about different psychic energies wanting to avoid each other, blah blah blah. He said that if he could hit those, he could hit anything with some fashion of reliability. And every time he'd get close to breaking one, he'd leave and return with a new one. He dreaded it, mainly because the newer rocks were the hardest to hit.

But not this time. This time, he was looking forward to being alone.

He waited until his teacher had been a decent distance away, and smiled to himself. He had another chance to practice what he discovered not a half hour before.

He then began focused his energy on the rock, surrounding it, and trying his hardest to lift it into the air. Sure, he probably shouldn't be learning psychic so early, but he knew the basic mechanics, and he had never been one to just sit there, and not push the envelope. He pulled and pulled, but suddenly, with little warning, he felt his psychic grip slip, and watched hopelessly as the energy shot off to the side, hitting a tree.

Ash then waited for the expected explosion, but none came.

Instead. the tree sat there for a moment, before the struck section slowly began shedding hundreds of minuscule chunks. It took only a couple seconds, but afterwards, the tree fell over, missing about a three foot section of its center, where the attack struck.

It absolutely shredded it. The biggest chunk couldn't have been bigger than a claw.

... Maybe Noctowl was right about psychic energy being dangerous. He'd have to practice this elsewhere, probably away from others. Such as right now.

He then grabbed the rock again, focusing on it with all he had, and tried to lift it. He pushed and pulled, and actually felt the rock begin to lift-

*CRACK*

And it immediately broke it half vertically, and he felt his grip falter, and both sides went flying in opposite directions, crashing through a couple trees and bringing them down as well. Ash winced a bit, and sighed. Psychic energy definitely was dangerous.

Maybe it was time to call it quits until Noctowl returned.

Ash decided on safety, and sat down to wait, and sure enough, three minutes later, Noctowl flew in, holding a new large rock in a psychic field. "Here you are, Ash. Hit this four times in a row, and I'd say you got it.

Now that was some incentive. He'd been getting tired of this. Ash shot back up, and immediately began focusing on the rock.

'Be the rock. Hit the rock."

Ash slowly gathered his energy, and shoved it towards the stone, and watched as the wave it hit the rock. One.

He immediately did it again, not wanting to lose his concentration. It struck the stone as well; Two.

Another hit right after. Three.

He shot the last one, and it...

Missed. He overcharged it, and it instead shot off to the side, destroying several already felled trees.

"Aw, come on!"

Noctowl simply smiled, and shook his head. "Close, but not enough. Again. And try toning down your attacks, you could really hurt someone with how much energy you're putting in them."

* * *

"I think you finally got it."

Ash slumped down onto the ground. It took three more rocks, but he managed to finally do it. Noctowl flew down and landed beside him, and smiled. "You've done very well. You learn quite quick."

Ash took the praise happily, but didn't move from the ground. "So, I've taught you what you need. I'd teach you more, but I feel that it is not my place. I'll leave that to your bride."

Ash nodded tiredly, and sat there.

"But that's not all I called you here for. I have a different task as well, and I'd say it is even more important."

The male dragon looked tiredly up, and gave his pokemon a funny look. "What do you mean?"

Noctowl looked back, and gave his best impression of a comforting smile. This was the important part. "Well, I seem to remember you suddenly changing into a species that's being driven to extinction. One that was not your own, with different rules, different expectations. You've been separated from your mother, from your friends, and from your own kind. And... I know how Pikachu is. How a new relationship can be. I believe you'd need someone to talk to. Somewhere away from others, away from Pikachu and his blind loyalty. Somewhere you can complain, and not expect retribution, or praise, or something happening due to your words. Just... somewhere to talk."

Ash paused at that, before sighing. It was rather true. Sure, he could talk to Pikachu about anything, but Pikachu had a tendency to do something about it. Any complaints were requests for him to fix it, any worries were problems to overcome. And Atiae... she was one of the biggest sources of his current problems. If he talked to her about it right now, she'd either take offense, or do the same as Pikachu.

But, maybe Noctowl...

"Hey, er... I do have a... problem."

Noctowl nodded. "I am here to listen to anything you need to say."

Ash hesitated for a second. "But... before I talk... This has to stay between us. No one else can know... and all. Ok?"

Noctowl nodded again, and his eyes suddenly began to glow, and he heard a terrified squeak of a Rattata in the distance, one that started going... upwards? "We are now free to talk without eavesdroppers, and... I promise that none will know. I will never speak of this, but with you. Now, what is your problem, Ash?"

Again, Ash hesitated for a moment, before sighing. "Well... you see... Me and Atiae... She kinda forced me into this whole relationship thing."

Noctowl simply sat there, waiting for him to continue. He didn't actually look too surprised, either. "And... She's hurt. Really bad, and it's my fault, 'cause I left. But... I don't know. I don't want to leave her, but... really, marriage, or whatever Lati do? And I promised myself I'd give my hardest shot, and it's all just... messed up. What... What should I do?"

The bird Pokemon didn't immediately respond, and sat there for a moment in silence. "You said you wanted to give it your all, correct?"

Ash nodded.

"And did you mean what you said to Bayleef, yesterday?"

Ash nodded again. "I think so."

Noctowl gave another pause, before sighing. "I cannot tell you what to do. However, I can tell you what _I'd_ do."

Ash blinked, before nodding. "Ok."

Noctowl smiled a bit. "Ash, you're in a unique position. You are near the end point of the romantic process. You have all the benefits of a relationship, but none of the drawbacks of being partnered. You can back out. The way I see it, you now can try all the stuff you've been curious of. The relationship is nearly complete, and you can try all you want without problems, and, if it doesn't work out, you still have the experience of it. If it works, than you know what you're doing, and if it doesn't, you now know what makes a relationship. Use what you've been given."

Ash blinked, before nodding. "Wait, so I should just... enjoy it?"

Noctowl nodded. "Within reason. I would follow what's accepted for Lati for simplicity's sake. But yes. You're free to try whatever you've been curious of. Dating, courting whatever they call it. Kissing, loving. You're free to do it all."

Ash paused, and thought it over.

Just... go along with it. Enjoy himself. If it worked, he'd be happy, and if it didn't, he'd have good memories, instead of bad ones. That honestly didn't sound like that bad of an idea.

"I think I understand."

Noctowl then smiled at him, and nodded. "Is there anything else you wish to talk about?"

Ash thought for a moment, before shrugging. "Not really... Unless you know where mom is?"

"I do not."

Ash sighed, and shook his head. "Alright... Well, what now?"

Noctowl looked to the sky for a moment, not saying anything, before looking back to the dragon. "I think we should get to your paddock. It is nearly past lunch time."

Ash paused, before nodding. "Alright. Let's go see everybody!"

The owl simply rolled his eyes, and nodded. All he'd have to do is mention lunch, and Ash would follow him anywhere. Thank Arceus Team Rocket hadn't found this out yet. "Very well."

* * *

"What happened here?"

Atiae looked around the area, and found herself taken aback by the destruction. It looked like a mighty battle happened here. But she was used to that. And it wasn't the destruction she was interested in, nor was it the scale. It was who caused it. "A... My claimed was here."

Umbreon looked at her from the side, before nodding. "He sure likes making a mess. You think he was sparing with Noctowl?"

The female simply shrugged in response. She didn't think Ash could use psychic attacks to be honest. But obviously, that fact was wrong. But for how long had she been so? "I don't know."

Umbreon sighed, and shook her head. "Well, we know he was here, and by the feel of it, so was Noctowl. I think I'll make my leave. I trust you can find your way back?"

The Latias simply gave a nod in response. She held up her end of the deal, and all. She'd have to search elsewhere. "Sure."

Umbreon gave a curt nod, and made a move like she was going to walk off, before stopping, and turning back to her. "Oh, but, before I go, I have a question."

Atiae frowned, but gave a nod. "Alright?"

"Pikachu has told me about a Latias, one who kissed Ash. One who was from Altomare. He had such hopes for her and all. He spoke of her kindness, of her young and slightly hesitant ways. That was you, wasn't it?"

The dragon froze in place, her first instinct telling her that she should lie. But one look at Umbreon jossed that idea. It was obvious Umbreon knew. She was just wanting her to confirm it. Maybe Pikachu let something slip last night. "Yes. That was me."

Umbreon nodded, and gave a sigh. "I figured it was you. You're obviously not a trainer's pokemon. You're hesitant. Cautious. You second guess yourself, and are far too trusting. And yet, I can't see how I didn't notice it yesterday."

Atiae scowled at the jab. "Are you calling me weak?"

"Perhaps. But being a wild pokemon isn't what makes you weak. Humans are wild pokemon, after all, and look at them. No, I'd more feel you were weak because you gave up on Ash."

The statement brought the Latias a reflexive flash of anger. "I didn't give up on him."

The female dark type raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh? It doesn't seem that way, seeing as you've promised your mind, body, and soul to another. What about your "claimed?" Isn't he your love now? After all, you risked getting caught just to find Pikachu, so you could find him. You can't tell me he's nothing to you and expect me to believe it."

Atiae winced at that. Her angry reflexive rebuttal put her in a tight spot. "I care for him, too."

"And yet, you still want Ash. And regardless of the questions I asked earlier, I do know much of your kind. There is no polyamory in your species, and infidelity is more than just merely frowned upon. You risk a vicious lynching by following that path. But yet, you're wanting someone who isn't your claimed or your mate. Is your relationship a political one? Is he simply a friend, and Ash is your true love?"

Umbreon then gave a pause. "Or, are you using Ash's Latios to get closer to him, and you're concerned only out of guilt? I can understand the merits of the last one, but I don't agree with your methods."

"I would never-"

Umbreon cut her off again. "I can now see that you "would never". You're something I don't understand. An anomaly. You obviously care for your claimed, considerably so, and yet... I can see the fire in your eyes, the passion you hold for Ash. I am missing an extremely important piece of the puzzle, but I will find out. Ash is a dear friend, and his pokemon are covered under that. I won't let you hurt either of them."

The female fox then turned, and walked off, leaving Atiae alone to stew in her confusion and frustration.

The dark type played her like a fiddle, to the point that, by the time she finally found her center, The dark type was just calling it to a close. And, from the sounds of it, she played Pikachu too. She and Ash would need to be a lot more careful.

Atiae growled a little, and shook her head. She had to find Ash. She could dwell on Umbreon's conversation later. Atiae then went to work checking the area. She found several downed trees, a couple shattered rocks, and a shredded stump that looked like it was hit by an overpowered Psycho-cut.

Maybe Noctowl was... training him?

The idea brought her already foul mood lower. She was his claimed. She was the one that was supposed to teach him. And while she didn't question Noctowl's skills, she still felt the sting of jealousy.

But, regardless of their training, they were no longer here. He had left. Recently, sure, but he wasn't here.

Maybe he went back to the house. It was a good possibility. The energy here was very fresh, and he could've left not even a half hour ago. Atiae rolled the idea around, and sighed. Maybe. But she should check the paddock first. After all, he was with one of his Pokemon. He'd probably spend some more time with the others. She turned around, and flew skyward, and shot in the direction of Ash's other pokemon.

* * *

It only took a moment, in all honesty, but when she arrived, the first thing she spotted was a big, blue dragon surrounded by half a dozen others. It was Ash. Her heart sped up a little bit, and she scowled in response. This was getting tiresome. But she'd been gathering her wits and courage just for this occasion, and she was sure she could at least manage a basic showing. She made her way to the ground, and ignored the growing hesitation she felt.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."

She meant to be sound firm, maybe even irritated, but all she managed was sounding lightly scolding, as if she didn't truly care.

But it still worked. Ash looked around, and gave her a nervous smile. "Oh, Atiae! You woke up!"

The female nodded once, and tried to give him an irritated frown. She failed, and that irritated her further. She couldn't even give an angry scowl right now, and that was one of her specialties. "Of course. And why didn't you wake me up?"

Ash blinked at her tone, seemingly taken aback, but continued smiling. "Well, I tried. You sleep like a rock."

The group of nearby pokemon looked at him incredulously, as if calling him a hypocrite.

Atiae, however, sighed. It was true. She was rather well known for her ability to sleep in, even if she was no Ash.

Ash then floated closer to her, and continued smiling nervously, which made her feel uneasy. He was planning something. "So, er... How should I say this..."

Atiae froze at that phrase. That was never a good phrase. Even if it was as minor as her having a fish-bone in her teeth, it never ended well for anyone involved.

"Atiae, I wanna... this is hard. I suck at this."

She felt herself freeze up, and looked at the male in surprise. She had a pretty good idea of what he was going to do now. Please, not now. At least in private.

"Ah, I... ergh! Fine!"

Ash then bolted forward, and...

Kissed her.

Atiae sat there for a moment, completely unable to comprehend what was happening. She blinked a couple times quickly, just to make sure that the large blue head was still in front of her. But, no matter how many times she tried, the big blue head of Ash was still there.

He was kissing her.

Ash was kissing her.

She wasn't kissing him.

He was kissing her.

Atiae sat there for a moment, before falling onto her back, out of shock. She was done.

"Atiae! You alright?"

"Helluva kiss there!"

"Shut up, Totodile!"

* * *

Pikachu suddenly jolted awake. He felt... a disturbance. He sat up quickly, and looked in the direction of Ash's paddock. He was needed.

* * *

Ash looked down at Atiae worryingly, and sighed. She just... passed out, right there. That was not the reaction he expected. Maybe a hyper squeal, or shock and surprise, but completely fainting? He thought she was too tough for that.

Then again, she was really... What was the word Totodile used? Ash-sexual?

He didn't even know what that meant, but it sounded dirty. And ironically correct.

He gently poked Atiae again, and waited for her to wake up. It ended up taking a couple minutes, but when she did, she looked at Ash confusion and with a hazy, dream-like expression.

"Did you...?"

Ash simply nodded. "Er... Yeah. It was... Nice?"

Atiae nodded numbly in return. She honestly didn't remember much of it, which irritated her immensely.

"So... I was about to go to the house for lunch, or, er, dinner. You wanna come?"

Atiae nodded again. She couldn't actually feel anything, it was all just a haze. But she did manage to rise up off the ground.

"So, er... we'll be back, guys."

"Yeah Ash, we'll be here, once-*Smack!* Ow! Bay, I didn't even say anything!"

Bayleef looked down angrily at Totodile. "You were gonna."

Totdile and Bayleef continued scowling at each other, and began to argue, and Ash winced. He recognized the start of a fight when he saw one. "Er, we'll be back! See ya!"

Ash then leaned in to Atiae, and whispered "Run, and don't look back."

The female gave him a confused nod.

The pair then shot off towards the house.

* * *

"Mimey, we're-"

"YAH!"

Ash didn't even have time to duck before getting hit in the nose with a broom. "Why!?" The male immediately gripped his nose in pain, and looked angrily at the broom wielder.

Pikachu had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry... I was aiming for her. This thing's hard to aim. I don't know how she does it."

Ash scowled. "That's not much better!"

Pikachu shrugged apathetically, and glared at Atiae, who was beginning to come to. "What did you do? I know you did something, so spill."

The female gave a dazed shrug.

Pikachu tried to swing the broom again, but hit Ash a second time. "Ow! Stop it!"

"Thing's broken."

"No it's not! Stop hitting me!"

Pikachu scowled, and shook his head. "She did something! I can tell, I mean, look at her!"

Ash and Pikachu looked at the female. She certainly did have a glassy look in her eye.

"That's... er, my fault."

Pikachu paused, and looked at Ash, looking very serious. "What did you do?"

The male blushed. "Well... I did kinda... Kiss her?"

Pikachu froze at that. "You... What?"

Ash winced at the tone, but still managed to nod. "Well, I was talking with Noctowl, and-"

"Noctowl has had more lovers than the average Pikachu! Of course he would tell you to kiss her! He's worse than that stupid crab from the Little Mermaid!"

Mimey walked into the entry hall, and scowled at Pikachu. "Well, what does that say about you?"

"Stay out of this, Mimey!"

"I won't because you stole my broom! Give it back!"

"No!"

Ash growled, and shook his head. "I just wanted dinner! Not a broom to the head!"

"Well, you got what you deserved!"

"Will you all just shut-"

In the end, it was Mimey who proved herself the victor. Pikachu just couldn't hold up to her Mastery of the broom.

"*WHAP*Ow, Stoppit! *Whap* Ok, Fine! I'm Sorr- *Whap*- OW! That one got me in the nose! Please, I- *Whap*"

"Don't-*Whap*-Steal-*Whap*-My-*Whap*-Broom!"

While Pikachu was getting punished for his misdeeds, Atiae and Ash watched from the sidelines. Atiae was enjoying it the most. But after a minute or so, she turned her attention to Ash.

"So, Ash... Why did you... Well..."

Ash looked at her. "Huh?"

Atiae blushed. She felt more hesitant than normal. "Why'd you... kiss me?"

The male sat there, sitting. "Well... I was talking to Noctowl."

The Latias nodded patiently.

"And we were talking, and, well, He told me that I should enjoy what we got, I guess. I always wanted to... well, kiss someone and all, and I was curious. And, seeing as you're my claimed and all, Noctowl said that I should just-

"I GIVE! PLEA-*WHAP*"

The pair jumped slightly at the shout, but afterwards, they looked back to each other. "Should just...?"

Ash shrugged. "Enjoy it. I mean, if it works out, awesome, but, if it doesn't... then we'd have happy memories, right?"

Atiae nodded slowly at that. "I think I understand... So, does that mean that I can kiss you?"

Ash shrugged. "I... guess?"

Atiae smiled weakly, and tried her hardest to move forward. But it took her several moments before she gathered the courage, which irritated her. Hopefully, she'd regain her backbone soon. She pushed forward, and their lips met.

It was... awkward. Not bad, warm, but... it wasn't the amazing occurrence that she expected. There was no fireworks, no huge epiphany, or a rush of pleasure. But she could see the appeal. It was nice. Kinda.

At least Ash seemed to enjoy it.

But, before they got past a couple seconds, a broom smacked Ash upside the head.

"None of that! Ash, what would your mother think?"

Ash mumbled inappropriate something under his breath. And his head met broom once more.

* * *

**A/N So, there we are! Fun events, their first kiss and all, (Mutual, anyway,) and Ash is finally learning. Now, all we need to do is get them back to Altomare, and everything will be all set! **

**I truly hoped you liked the chapter! But, if you didn't, Please tell me why. Be the reason Silly, serious, or significant, I would love to hear about it!**

**...**

**And, one last bit. I've been considering writing a Robin/Starfire story for teen titans. It'd be a Comedy/Romance thing, and maybe even a bit cracky, but I was wondering how many would be interested. Any takers?**


	29. One last glance,

**A/N So, It's been a while, Hasn't it? **

**Ah well, nothing I can do about that now, is there? So, without further ado, Here's the next chapter!**

**A big thanks to all those who fav'd, followed, and reviewed! Y'all are awesome.**

* * *

Atiae had a headache.

And with good reason. After all, it had been a busy day. Ash had finally kissed her, after spending the past few days seemingly unwilling to be in the relationship. And while her heart was overjoyed, a different part of her was furious, and not just because of Ash.

It was because of everything else. Because of Umbreon. Of Pikachu and Mimey. Hell, even because of Noctowl.

How dare Umbreon imply that she was using Ash? She had never once faltered in her feelings, damn it. And the know it all tone she used why accusing her didn't endear her, either. She may have came across as a cold, seemingly distant dark type before, but now? She was just a bitch. A rude one.

And how dare Pikachu feel anger at her happiness? She may have been pushy at first, but Ash was the one who made that particular attempt, not her. She held no blame, nor credit, for that. And, speaking of kisses, why did Mimey have to interrupt their first mutual one? She had to have known. The psychic mime already set off every warning bell she had as it was, acting as if she was a foolish, naive child, all while doing everything in a way that actually made her look like she was right in assuming so. There was no way that Mimey couldn't notice her pining gaze.

And lastly, Noctowl. He taught her claimed the secrets of psychic techniques, knowing full well the stigma behind his requests. Ash was her's. To love, to keep, to teach. It's wasn't that bird's right to teach a already claimed pokemon. It was their mate's. Namely, her.

She was the one who would teach him right from wrong, to teach her claimed the proper way. And, while it wasn't normal to be the teacher from step one, it was still her roll, seeing as she was the more experienced of the two. He would teach her, and she would teach him. Simple, clean, and how it was supposed to be done for all psychic types, hell, for all pokemon. And the bird screwed it all up.

In the end, she was furious, elated, confused, and irked. Again, her day had been a massive roller-coaster of emotion, with Ash at the center. But, at least she got a kiss. A bright spot in an otherwise sucky day.

She'd need some time to process her feelings, but that would, again, have to wait. They needed to get going ASAP if they were to get to Altomare before nightfall, and sitting around trying to figure out her heart's whims didn't fit in the itinerary. Never did before this whole fiasco, and wouldn't fit in now.

Too bad Mimey expected them to stay the night again. Or, continually, until Ash's condition could be addressed. She'd have to figure out a way to break the news to her that they'd be leaving. Another thing to add to her growing list of things to do.

Atiae gave a halfhearted poke at her dinner, and sighed. She wished things could just happen one at a time, if only so she could figure them out easier, but, as the human saying went, if it rained, it poured.

But, it at least had it's own sense of balance. After all, even if she had her right as Ash's teacher stolen, had a dark type accuse her of using, or even cheating on, her claimed, and got attacked and berated by an angry Mimey and Pikachu, she had still fell back in love with Ash. Kissed him. Held him. And while it didn't make her other irritants go away, it was still nice.

In fact, it had been all she ever wanted for the past two years. But even that was a problem in it's own way. She wasn't a strong willed, wise and intelligent leader when she was pining over Ash. No, if anything, she was the opposite. And, maybe it was a fair trade, _for her_, but even though she loathed to admit it, her people genuinely needed her. She was the best fit, and even her best possible replacement, Lorip, was a sentimental old dragon who was caught up more in his stories of glory than the actual present. The last known remainder of Lati needed her, and she knew it.

Her new feelings could be a gift from Mew herself, allowing her to become what Ash needed, and yet, she still couldn't accept.

If she was to lead her kind, she couldn't be hesitant. She couldn't suddenly lose the will to continue, or suddenly feel the need to blush and look away whenever Ash looked at her. No, She needed her cold fury back, her drive and callous regard for her fellow Lati, her desire to prove them to truly be the helpless children she thought them to be, those who needed to be watched over, lest they harm themselves. Her... utter contempt for them, and what they made her.

She needed that back. Rage and fury were things she knew how to use. They gave her the will to move forward, to do what was needed to protect her stupid, stupid people. But, instead, she had Ash, the soothing balm to her fiery rage. Ironic.

The thought brought a scowl to her face.

"Is there something wrong, Atiae? The food not to your liking?"

The Latias blinked once, and looked over to Mimey, her expression softening immediately. No need to be rude. "No, it's... good. Just thinking."

The psychic type nodded once, her eyebrow raised questioningly. But, when she didn't speak, the psychic Mime sighed, and decided to drop it and instead gave her a comforting look. "Well, if there's anything I can help with, I'm here."

The legendary gave a single nod, and looked back to the plate. She wasn't lying. It was, in fact, quite good. Too bad she wasn't very hungry due to her whirling thoughts.

"Are you alright, Ati?"

The female snorted at the nickname. He already decided that her name was too long after a grand total of a day and a half. The thought made her stomach flutter, and her fury grow for a split second, before immediately dying. Damn him. "I'm fine. Just thinking about home."

It wasn't a lie. Just not the whole truth.

The male blinked, before nodding, seemingly understanding. "Oh. I gotchya."

She then looked back to her food, and brought a forkful up to her mouth. She needed to stop thinking deeply in public. Her face had always been expressive, and it sold her out far too often.

She needed to stop thinking of such... negative topics. Maybe, she should instead think of the positives. Such as the kiss. Or, to be more precise, kisses, both past and future, if his words were understood right. She finally got some form of genuine reflection of feelings from Ash, something she had been wanting for a long while. And that was a very nice positive.

And even though it was just him wanting to enjoy the relationship physically, it was a thing she could use. He was already a loving person by nature. All she'd have to do was make him feel a _romantic_ form of love towards her, instead of the normal friendship he was used to. And that was something that physical affection would help with. Lust and love were different things, but for romance, they always went hand in hand.

Damn. Overthinking it again.

So, sure, there was a couple nice positives. She would try and continue working on Ash, and while she may have lost her killer edge and icy demeanor, there was the chance that she could get it back. She had little doubt that a single session with Merrim and Lorip wouldn't bring back her anger and rage well enough. And when she wasn't working with infuriating idiots and overly "helpful" councilors, she would just... enjoy her more sensitive feelings towards Ash. Maybe her increased sensitivity and complete _cowering waif-iness_ would help her in the relationship somehow. Didn't males like being protective, anyway?

It could work. She could continue to protect her people, and still have Ash. But she hated leaving it to fate and chance. After all, they both had a habit of screwing her over.

* * *

"So, where have you been all day, Pika?"

The mouse honestly didn't expect Ash to bring it up. After all, they were halfway through dinner. That was usually enough to put his mind off of everything, including important stuff like where they were sleeping tonight, or if the next gym battle would go well, or if they were technically considered legally dead.

Why did he have to make an exception this time?

Pikachu sighed, and put the morsel of food he held down, and shook his head in exasperation. To be honest, he didn't really recall most of the day, beyond waking up and attacking Latias. Er, Atiae. He'd slept through most of it. But, the night before... "I was with Umbreon."

Alright, that was probably a little too honest. But it was true. He couldn't deny that. "That's not all, is it, Pika?"

Damn himself, and his tendency to be so easily read. He'd need to work on this next lie really well. "Well... She tried to... snuggle me."

Damn it. It took all he had to keep the irritated groan he had from coming forth. Might as well tell him his dreams, aspirations, and all the names in his black book. All... None of them. He might as well have made some up, though, for how easily he was digging his own hole.

"Really? Umbreon tried to snuggle you?"

The mouse let loose a tiny sigh of irritation. "Yep."

'And she tried a whole lot more than that.'

"I always told you she liked you."

Pikachu nodded, and gave his trainer a false glare. Here was were he would make his stand! "And I said drop it. It was... awkward. She told me some really freaky jokes and stuff."

Ash smiled a bit, and shook his head. "You do the weirdest things when you're alone, bud." The male then sighed, and looked down at the empty plate in front of him, looking surprisingly solemn for a short second, before smiling again. "Well... I think we'll go see my Pokemon again before night and all. We'll be back, Mimey."

The psychic type nodded, and smiled softly, before beginning to clear the table. "Alright, Ash."

Ash then looked over to Atiae and Pikachu. "I'll meet you two out in front of the house. I have something I gotta grab before we go."

"Alright, Ash."

The male nodded, and Atiae and Pikachu unceremoniously exited the house, and sat by the front porch, waiting for Ash. The pair sat there for a short minute, before Atiae broke the silence. "So, what do you think Ash wants to grab?"

The mouse gave a shrug. Awkward conversation. "No clue. Honestly, where would he even carry whatever it is?"

All he got in reply was a single shrug.

The pair then sat there for a moment, before some loud shouting came from inside, gaining their attention. The pair couldn't understand it, but before they could move to go inside, something burst from the side window, sending glass everywhere, and Ash followed immediately after, wearing a panicked expression. He then was forced to duck a flying pot thrown at his head, and he shot towards them. "Time to go!"

He then shot up into the air, and Atiae immediately followed his lead and did the same, barely thinking of grabbing Pikachu with her psychic.

"Ash Ketchum, Get back here!"

"Sorry, Mimey! Gotta go!"

He then shot off towards veridean city, and Atiae immediately followed him in confusion. It only took her a second to catch up, but when she did, she gave him a confused frown. "Uh, Ash, what are we doing?"

Ash smiled back. "Well, I thought we were going back to Altomare!"

The female scowled. And he didn't think of explaining this earlier? "And your idea of leaving is jumping through the window?"

Ash shrugged, but smiled at her nonetheless. "Well not really... But, I kinda needed to get this!"

The male then held up a small watch-like object.

Atiae was unimpressed. "And what's that?"

The sky-dancer smiled, and made an attempt to put the small watch on his arm. He tried for several moments, before deciding to just put it on his upper arm, where it fit. "It's my mom's Pokegear. I needed it, in case she calls, or something."

"Alright, but was there any reason why you shot through a window for it?"

Ash shrugged. "Well... I originally wanted to... well, sneak it out. But Mimey caught me trying, and figured out what I was doing pretty quick. Asked questions I didn't have an answer to, and all."

That did explain the yelling.

Atiae sighed, and looked over to Pikachu, who was surrounded by a psychic field, looking both uncomfortable and cross. Atiae shook her head, and looked at Ash. "You jumped through a window. For a watch."

Ash nodded. "It's a phone! And I actually tried the door first, but she's a lot faster than you'd think. But then she threw a frying pan, and..."

"Ah. That's what hit the window?"

The male smiled nervously. "Not that one... Er, the first hit that ugly vase Mom keeps on the table. And that just made her angrier."

Atiae rolled her eyes. Only Ash. "Well, we have to get going, else we won't get to Altomare before nightfall. Lead the way."

The male nodded, and the pair flew off.

* * *

'Lead the way." Worse mistake of the night, right there.

"We're lost."

The male shook his head resolutely, and pointed down at a coastal town. "No, that's definitely Cherrygrove city!"

Atiae frowned, and looked down. It did look familiar. However, she was sure this was the third time she'd seen it. "Ash, we've been flying for three hours! It's nearly nightfall, and we haven't even got to the ocean yet! We need to find somewhere to land!"

The male groaned, and opened his mouth to deny, but caught a glance at the sun. It was in the middle of setting, and no matter what he said, he couldn't reject that. "Alright, alright, fine. Er, anywhere look good?"

Atiae gave a couple glances, before spying a surprisingly large clearing. "I see somewhere! Follow Me!"

She then made a slow dive, and made her way into the opening, making a point to glance around and note anything out of the ordinary. WHile Johto and Kanto were Team Rocket's turf, that didn't keep small pockets of Magma and Aqua from making temporary, or sometimes even permanent camps. But, after several quick searches, she decided it was clear. From the looks of it, it had been a basic campground, but it hadn't been used for years. Too small and out of the way for a Magma listening post, and too clean for a Aqua kill team.

She then looked over to Pikachu, who she was still holding in her psychic field, and released him. He landed on the ground, and just sat there for a moment.

"Oooooh. Arceus. Please, never again."

Atiae felt a small pang of sympathy. She doubted being carried like that was comfortable. She gave a sympathetic look, and stretched. It had been another long day, and now, she was looking forward to sleep. She gave a tired look at the nearby male, and forced down an irritating blush. "Ash, I'm gonna just... lie down. Feel free to join me, when you feel tired."

The male gave her a nod, and she didn't even wait before she closed her eyes.

* * *

Atiae found that, while it worked when she was tired, once she had rested, the hard, somewhat lumpy ground wasn't very comfortable. Sure, she had slept for a few hours, but now that the edge was gone, she couldn't continue. But at least she made it through half the night.

"Ash...?"

Perhaps, her claimed was having the same problem too. If he was, she would enjoy the company. But, after a couple checks with a tired arm, she found that he wasn't beside her.

Maybe he had simply rolled away?

She gave a sigh, and sat slightly up, and gave a half lidded glance around, but that too didn't turn anything up. He was still missing. Sure, she found that Pikachu was snuggled up against her, but that wasn't Ash.

She gave a groan, and rose up, sending out a small psychic pulse, hoping to find her wayward claimed. Sure, it was probably something as simple as a bathroom break, but the woods could be dangerous at night. Especially when alone. After sending another, somewhat larger pulse, she found him, a surprisingly good distance away. She groaned, both out of irritation, and exhaustion, and gave Pikachu a single look, pondering if she should leave him. But, after a moment, she decided that he'd be fine. If there was anyone safe alone in these woods, it was him.

Atiae floated a bit off the ground, decided to simply go in the direction of Ash. She'd come across him, eventually. She floated for a moment through the peaceful forest, mindlessly avoiding the foliage.

She hoped that Ash would provide something more interesting. She'd never been much for nature. And, maybe, he had. After all, one doesn't wander that far from their nest just to go relieve themselves. Maybe he just wanted a walk, but hey, she'd take any form of entertainment over insomnia and an empty clearing.

The dragon continued to float towards him, when suddenly, she felt a massive psychic surge, forcing her fully awake. "Ash?"

Her instinctive protectiveness immediately got the better of her, and she immediately shot in the direction of the surge, worried. Was someone attacking? Did he somehow come across a territorial pokemon, or, worse, a poacher?

It took her but a moment to finally make it to Ash, and when she did, she found him...

Lifting a rock?

Atiae paused for a second, and felt a rush of relief. He was safe.

And... practicing psychic? Who the hell was dense enough to teach a rookie that? "Ash, what're you-"

Almost immediately, she recalled why most psychic types practiced this technique alone. She felt a massive energy shift, and, with no thought whatsoever, reflexively brought up her strongest psychic shield. The shift immediately sought her out, and lashed against her shield, and she felt herself pushed back several meters. And once the blow subsided, she nearly collapsed. The blow nearly collapsed her shield in one hit. And while she there was only so much one could add to a shield, it was still an achievement. Multiple hyper beams couldn't claim that.

"Atiae! Arceus, are you alright?!"

Atiae paused, trying to regain her bearings and banish the sudden dizziness from her reflexive psychic block. That would've killed her. It wasn't even a question; Had she not made that shield, she'd be a red paste over half the clearing.

Hell, most would still be paste. She survived merely out of sheer luck.

And that thought terrified her. What if someone else had showed up? Like Pikachu? The mouse could probably tank an attack that would kill most and survive, but the mouse would've been at the epicenter. There was a big different between endurance, and immunity to becoming goo. "Ash... What... the... **Hell!?**"

She knew it was an accident, heck, it was even partly her fault. She snuck up on him, and distracted him in the middle of practicing psychic, which was a stupid mistake on her part.

But, in that, laid the problem. He was practicing _psychic_. As in, one of the most dangerous techniques psychic types could practice. Not very many psychic techniques could kill the user as easily as a bystander, but Ash had managed to practice that right off the bat.

In fact, where did the boulder go?

She looked around, at least for a telltale sign of where it flew, hoping desperately that he didn't just shoot it straight up for it to come back down on their heads. But there was no trail of destruction to the front or sides around the newly made clearing. Which meant, it either went up, or...

She glanced behind her, and saw a long trail of destruction maybe three feet from where she sat. It went on for... Actually, she couldn't tell. She lost sight of the distance, although, judging by how it nearly hit her, she could tell that it went in the direction of where she was sleeping earlier. How much energy did he put into it?

Hell, the area was practicing in was now a absurdly large, round clearing. Which it wasn't, fifteen seconds ago. And that brought another terrifying realization.

She was just hit by the damn bleed-off.

She honestly hoped that no one was in the way of that damn rock. There'd be nothing left.

"Arceus, I'm so sorry!"

Atiae simply sat there for a moment, still trying to absorb all the information. But, after a moment, she managed to come to terms with it, and began glaring furiously at Ash, who was floating near her worriedly. She then leaned in, and caught his ear tuft in her mouth, and bit _hard_.

"Aff! Woo Japaff!"

"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!"

"Woop ap ip!"

"Wha-OW!"

Atiae released his ear, and growled furiously. "Ash! Look at this! A minute ago, this was a forest. Ash, A nice, clean, serene forest. Now, we have enough room for a house! Three houses! Hell, do it again, and we could make a town!"

True enough, there was a completely large clearing, free of anything but a small crater. Trees and grass were all cleared, and all that was left was a large dirt patch over a hundred meters wide.

"What were you doing?!"

Ash winced at the shout, and sighed. "I figured out psychic, so I was practice-"

Atiae growled again, and shook her head. "You didn't_ figure out_ psychic in a day, Ash. It's one of the hardest techniques there are. You figured out how to surround a rock with enough energy to kill a small town."

In fact, Atiae mused, while she might have been able to achieve the same feat with the rock, deliberately, she wouldn't be still floating after. Ash didn't even look winded. And that didn't even add the whole "destroyed several hundred square meters of forest completely" into the equation.

"Where did you learn this? Tell me, _Now_."

Ash grimaced, and sighed. "I figured it out myself. I just... Wanted to do it right."

Atiae growled, and shook her head. He didn't even understand what he just did. "Ash, you nearly killed me with the overflow. _The overflow_. I didn't even know you could do that without killing yourself!"

But, before Atiae could continue, a new voice piped up. "Yo, guys."

Both Lati froze, and looked over, seeing Pikachu sitting there, looking surprising calm. In fact, he looked surprisingly amused. "So, I was sitting there, sleeping and all, you know, doing that thing sane people do in the middle of the night, when this **giant ass rock** flies in, and nearly takes my head off. What's up?"

Ash paused, before grimacing again. "How did you-"

"Find you? I don't know, I just followed this GIANT TRENCH. It was actually pretty easy, seeing as you destroyed a quarter mile of trees with a rock. I'm curious, was it revenge for the whole "Celebi calling you gay" thing during that adventure with Sam? Because, really, this is a bit much."

Ash blinked in confusion, but Pikachu continued. "Oh, and a second thing; Where did you find this rock, because, damn, you found a sturdy one. I mean, did you see how many trees that thing went through? That had to be at least fifty."

Both Ash and Atiae stared at him for a moment, in complete confusion. "What? Did I say something mean? Off color? It might have been because I nearly got brained by a rock, who, up until fifteen seconds ago, was thrown by someone who I could've sworn was trying to kill me in my sleep."

The pair of dragons paused, before Atiae sighed in complete exasperation. "Ash. You're not to practice any psychic techniques without me. Ever. Got that?"

Ash gave a weak nod, and Atiae growled again, this time out of frustration. "Ash... Psychic moves are dangerous. You could've hurt someone. You nearly killed me and Pikachu. You have to be more careful."

Another nod. And the female couldn't help but feel exasperated. Of course he'd have to be a Sky-Dancer. Massive reserves, poor control. But... she didn't know that they'd be this overcharged. His reserves were bad enough that she was surprised he could even control his invisibility as well as he could.

"Ash... Here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna go back to camp, go back to bed, and, when we wake up, We will go home. Understand me so far?"

The male gave a small, hesitant nod, And Atiae smiled. "And, when we get home, I'll give you your punishment. When I'm done, you'll wish you were just _lifting rocks_."

* * *

"Sorry."

Atiae groaned. From the moment they got back to the clearing, to the second they laid down, that's all she heard. More apologies. "And I said, it's fine. We'll fix it, and maybe, next time, you can learn the technique right, later. But right now, I want to go to bed. Tomorrow morning, I'll have to deal with whatever Merrim and Lorip want me to fix, whiny children who can't learn to share, and a group of dragons who don't understand why a Pokemon center isn't a love Hotel, and I want some sleep before that."

So much for the honeymoon phase. If there had been any benefit to nearly getting killed, it was that her passive adoration for the male was currently overshadowed by her unyielding fury.

It'd die down, but still, she'd enjoy it while it lasted.

"But, still..."

"Ash. Let me tell you a quick story. When I was young, I nearly neutered by brother with a tree-branch when I goofed around. And, when we got back from the Pokemon center, which was a really big deal at the time, you know what he told me?"

"Umm..."

"Don't screw around with sharp sticks if you ever want to be an aunt.' I know it doesn't matter now, seeing as he's dead and all, and it doesn't make the best story, but the moral is that everyone screws up. You're just an adult, and now, they'll be bigger. Now, sleep."

"But-"

"Nope. Sleep, or so help me, I'll show you how painful sharp sticks really are."

"I'd listen to her, Ash. Shut up, go to bed, and don't kill anyone else with giant hell rocks. We'll forgive you in the morning."

* * *

The morning had been an awkward affair. Ash didn't say a word, and while Atiae had calmed down, she now felt the need to explain the basic mechanics of psychic moves to Ash as they flew.

"So, When a psychic user causes a deliberate overcharge, It causes a small explosion, usually hitting and pushing away anything within twenty or so feet. However, because of how the overcharge changes psychic energy into actual force, the process makes a massive amount of unbonded psychic energy, which causes psychic static on the user. It's really painful, and hurts your aim and techniques, so you should never use it unless you have to."

"Ugggggh."

Atiae gave the male a glare, and frowned. "You're the one who wanted to "figure it out." So, I'll teach you. Now, Lati have a cultural practicing method we'll be using when we get to Altomare. It's usually for children and parents, and, at times, claimed pairs, but it involves us essentially grabbing each other's energy, and pushing and pulling it between us. We release some energy, and also use some to grab our partner's. It's difficult to do it right with a non-mated partner, but we'll be able to pass off accidents as unfamiliarity between us."

Ash perked up a little at that. "Really?"

Atiae nodded. "Yes. It''s not very used anymore because people are lazy, but it's common enough that no one will question. Now, will you stop moping? We're almost to Altomare."

The male cocked his head. "How do you know?"

Atiae gave him a glance. "Another lesson. When A Lati flies, What do we use?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "Psychic energy."

"Very good. Now, remember what I told you about sensing?"

The male rolled his eyes again. "Yeah..."

"Well, if you know what you're doing, you can sense it simply by flying through or near it. After all, everyone's energy is...?"

Another all suffering sigh. "Unique."

The female nodded seriously at that. "Yes. Now, we have hunting groups that go out to find fish. And, the farther away from Altomare, the bigger the group. And I just came across a loner. Which means..."

Ash hesitated at that one. "That someone broke the rules?"

Atiae snorted in amusement at that. "Good guess, but no. It means we're almost there."

* * *

"Home sweet... home."

Atiae missed Pallet already. Good food, a soft bed, not being surrounded by idiots and well-wishers. Sure, it was filled with dirty minded Totodiles, cold and catty Umbreon, and overzealous and nosy Mimes, but it was still pretty nice. After all, she didn't have a group of Lati to watch over.

Ash, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as depressed. He had made sure his Pokemon were ok, Mimey knew his fate, and his mother was accounted for, even if she couldn't be contacted. His biggest worries were gone. "So... We gonna go through the entrance, or what?"

The Latias gave a sigh, and nodded. It was good while it lasted, but now... She was back. Joy. "Just enjoying my last second of freedom. Let's go."

Ash didn't wait for her to move, and instead went through the entry way first, followed closely by Pikachu. Atiae smiled at the lack of hesitation, and forced her scowl down, and went through.

And after she cleared the entryway, the first thing she saw of the sanctuary of note was a very large crowd of Lati a good distance away. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, and looked over to the gatekeeper, who quickly spoke up. "Oh, Princess! Perfect timing, Sir Lorip was getting very worried."

Atiae gave a nod, and looked back at the crowd in the distance. "What's going on?"

The male blinked once, before giving a small grimace. "Well, We have a newcomer, but she's quite... spirited. She's been demanding to see you for the past few hours."

The Princess in question gave a small groan at the news. Of course she'd have to deal with an irate newcomer the instant she arrived home. "Very well. I'll deal with her immediately. Ash, Pikachu, If you would follow, please."

Ash looked at her for a moment and gave a single nod, and quietly fell in line behind her, with Pikachu hopping onto his shoulder. "We'll talk about... last night later. Right now, let me fix this."

Ash's punishment, however light it'd probably be, would have to wait. Right now, she had a bossy, possibly hostile Lati to deal with. If there was any job she hated, it was dealing with the newest arrivals. Sure, they may have been big stuff with their herd, the Alpha of her pack, but here, she was in charge. And she'd lost count of how many times she had to lay down the law.

But it was an important part of the job. One that Ash would need to learn, so she couldn't just mail it in. She floated casually to the large crowd, and watched silently as it opened as they recognized her. Ash followed her through the crowd, but after a quick gesture from her, stopped three quarters of the way through. These occasions did occasionally break out into fights, after all. No need to have him in the line of fire.

"I'm sure milady will be here soon, miss, but please, calm down. You're causing a scene, and we don't wish to have to remove you."

"And I told you, I'm not leaving until I see her. So, get your Alpha, or Princess, or, damn, bring Mew herself down here for all I care. I don't care who you bring, as long as they answer my question."

Atiae forced an irritated groan down. The female sounded like a older one, and Lorip's dulcet tones clearly hadn't calmed her. The older, more determined ones were always the hardest to deal with. And they had the experience to cause the most problems. "No need, I am here already. What is the issue?"

It was then that the female turned around, and she actually got a good look at her. She was right in that she was older, and she had... brown eyes? Not the most common color for a Latias. At least she was a changeling. The older female gave her a glance over, before nodding once. "Ah. Took you long enough. I'm here for someone."

Atiae gave a single nod in response, subtly giving Ash a small glance to ensure he was watching. "Several someone's arrive every week. Could we get a name? It might speed up the process."

The elder female gave her a suspicious look for a moment, seemingly noticing her glance, before nodding. "Laminu. My age, my size, my same... everything. She's my twin."

Atiae paused for a moment, before shaking her head. She knew of none that fit that description. "Unless she arrived very recently, I don't believe she's here. You aren't unique, per say, but I certainly don't recognize you."

The elder dragon scowled at that, and shook her head. "Bull. I know she's here, and I'm sure you're hiding her. I sensed her last week when I flew by. And now, I..."

Atiae felt the faintest of psychic pulses, and the female's ears popped up in surprise. "I sense her, now, actually."

The female then floated straight past Atiae, and started floating through the crowd, sending off warning bells in her head. "What are you-"

"Laminu! I know you're here! Sister! I... Sister! Show yourself!"

The elder female continued through the crowd for a moment, before finally coming to a stop. At Ash. Atiae made a move to follow, possibly to move in between Ash and the strange female, but the female spoke first.

"...Sister?"

Ash blinked in confusion. He was expecting a accusation, maybe a fight. But he didn't expect to be called someone's sister. Both he and Pikachu stared in confusion for a moment, before Ash managed to respond, speaking slowly. He didn't want to set off this possibly unbalanced Lati. "Er... no?"

The female stared for a moment, before scowling. "Sister, It's me, Lamina... Please don't hide yourself... I... I know What I've done these past years are terrible, but please... I thought you died, and I just..."

Ash gave another confused blink, and Pikachu prepared to intervene, just in case the insane Latias decided to attack.

"When you "supposedly" died with my... with _our_ egg... I just... I couldn't take it. But I'll turn back! I'll leave, and join you! I'll do anything! Please, Sister, I... I love you too much. Please... don't leave me alone again."

Ash simply sat there for a moment, at a loss for words. How did one deal with an insane dragon? His experience gave him no answers, and he wanted to do nothing more than to back away. But, before he could actually move, the female decided that she had enough silence.

"If... if you insist upon hiding your true self, fine. I'll break your illusion, and... I'll..."

Ash felt a massive psychic pulse, and blinked. The energy... felt extremely familiar.

And so did the female. Her aura screamed familiarity, but he couldn't guess from where. They both stared in confusion and shock at each other for several moments, before confusion rose on the elder female's face. "I.. But... You..."

Before anyone could stop her, the female turned, and simply shot off, leaving a confused Atiae, a shocked, baffled Ash, and the bewildered herd behind her.

"Milady, any clue what that was about?"

Atiae gave a baffled shrug.

It was then that they heard a large explosion come from the south.

* * *

**A/N Yaaaaaaay! Plot.**


	30. Before

"Atiae, what's going on?"

The female didn't respond, and instead paused for a moment, seemingly ignoring him. But, before he could question her again, she sighed, and barked several orders to nearby Lati. "You! Go find Mani, and tell her that she's needed for an emergency. Have her meet me in the council area."

She then looked over to another, and barked out another command. "And you, go find Larry. I need the headcount for the morning patrol. Wake him if you need to."

Ash watched as both Lati did as they were told, irritation etched on their faces.

That made him even more confused than he was already. Things were exploding, no one was telling him anything, and now, the one he thought was universally beloved was being given the cold shoulder, even when she was giving genuinely needed commands. Open irritation wasn't something he expected from anyone in a normal situation, let alone now, with things exploding.

Did something happen when they were gone?

"And Jaqi, go find Samin. We need the evening patrol ready, right now."

The Lati nodded and flew off, looking as irritated as the others. Ash frowned slightly, and found himself glaring at the Latias as she flew by. There was times that griping and rebelling wasn't needed, and now was one of them.

He could understand if Pikachu or any of his other friends reacted like this, but that was because they had experience and skill borne from several years of travelling and Team Rocket. They no stranger to things exploding around them, and even if said explosions were nothing more than irritants most of the time, they'd still listen and do their jobs without complaint, usually only irritated that, yet again, things were blowing up. They usually weren't angry with _him_.

But these Lati seemed more angry at Atiae than the fact that the city was supposedly exploding.

"Ati?"

Atiae paused, and looked over to him, frowning. Her expression brooked no argument. "Ash, Wait."

She then glanced at another Lati. "You, go get Gortag. We'll need him if there's a bigger issue."

The Latias she was looking at in question gave a firm nod and rushed off, a frown plastered on her face. Atiae then looked to the elder shade that remained nearby. "Lorip, I need you to wait here for the port patrols. Me and Ash are going to investigate, and I need you to wait here for them, in case we don't pass them."

She then hesitated for a moment, and sighed. "I'll trust your judgement to do what needs to be done."

Lorip simply nodded, and turned around, looking at the remaining Lati. "You heard the princess! Prepare for the worst!"

The crowd instead gave a grumble of irritation and exasperation, and Ash found himself frowning further. While he'd never been one for respect, the sheer lack of seriousness irritated him. Weren't Lati endangered? But, before he could ponder on that thought, Atiae looked straight at him, and gave him an expecting look. Oh, yeah. "Er, Atiae? Is this a normal thing?"

***BOOOOOOOOM***

Both Ash and Pikachu winced lightly at the sound, and the trio looked over in the explosions direction. That one was much, much bigger, even if it was still quite a distance away.

"Ati?"

Atiae sighed, and looked over to her claimed with a frown. "Ash, Altomare is one of the, no, it _is_ biggest port in the world. We hear sounds coming from the docks often, and rarely are they something we'd consider normal. If I had to guess, It's probably just another ship that couldn't stop in time, and plowed into the dry-dock. "

Ash nodded, before frowning. "I'm sensing a but, here."

"But," Atiae continued, "While I'm pretty sure it's nothing, I need to be sure. It could be a oil tanker, or a ship that rolled over, trapping everyone inside. Or something worse."

The male nodded, and gave a small sigh. He couldn't just have a quiet day, were he got some rest, maybe a bit of training in, and a good meal. No, he had to have everything explode around him. "Alright. But... Why is everyone so angry?"

Atiae sighed, and shook her head. "I choose safety over effort. Every time something like this happens, I give the order to prepare for evacuation, just in case. It's better to be safe than otherwise. "

Ah. That would explain a lot. They just thought this was just another small accident, and that she was being paranoid and giving her more work.

Ash heard another explosion, and cocked his head to get a better listen. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't a pokemon battle, that's for sure. But, at least, out of the previous noises, this one was much lighter. And, if this was a something that even the paranoid Atiae didn't feel too worried about... then maybe it wasn't something too bad. Maybe a dented boat, or a damaged freighter. Some people the two of them would save, and they'd be able to just go on their way. If he was lucky, it'd be as simple as that.

"Ash, She's kinda leaving. We need to go." Ash blinked, and looked over. Sure enough, Atiae had already began to move back towards the entrance, and Ash was forced to immediately follow.

As the trio moved to the entrance, Pikachu decided to attempt to change the subject. "So... Boats and explosions are cool and all, but... Am I the only one who remembers that Latias from five minutes ago? She was... different, huh?"

Ash thought about the question for a second, before shrugging. Oh yeah, he almost forgot that he was accused of being someone's sister. How could he forget? "Kinda."

The mouse gave an amused snort in response, and Ash sighed. She was just another random, insane event that was his life as far as he was concerned. He couldn't just live his life like a normal person, no; He had to attract the crazies. Birds that worshiped the ground he walked on, a Bayleef with no sense of personal space. Even a Latias who insisted that they be together forever and ever, and actually, genuinely meant it. His life was insane.

However, now that Pikachu mentioned it... This crazy _was_ different. She seemed... familiar somehow, and he couldn't put his finger, er, _claw_ on it. "No clue. She did seem familiar, though."

Pikachu gave a snort, and shook his head. "Well, she had your big ol' brown eyes. Maybe your mom got turned into a Latias, too."

Ash raised an eyebrow, and looked back. The tone Pikachu used told him that he was joking, but it was still an interesting thought. And it would explain how Mimey know so much and all. But that didn't explain his reception. And her confession of sorts. "And was looking for her sister, begging for forgiveness? I don't think I even have an aunt."

The mouse shrugged in indifference, and smiled. "It was a joke, Ash. It was probably just another crazy. Same as always."

Atiae gave a small snort at Pikachu's comment, suddenly reminding Ash of who he was following. He gave the Lati a sheepish smile, and she gave a cold, if seemingly genuine one in return. "Ash, remember, you're a natural-borne Latios. No need to joke around, right?"

Ash blinked, before realizing where he was. Oh, yeah.

The female smiled a bit more, and nudged him. "Ash, We won't have time to disguise ourselves and walk through the city. So, we'll just rush. Keep close, and don't stop. Just because we're a protected species won't stop a trainer from trying to catch you if you lolly-gag, and I'd really like to avoid going through Interpol to get you back."

Ash gave a single nod and sighed. Ah, yes. The whole "uncaptured legendary" issue. Even Atiae had to remind him of that.

But, alas, it was true, and he couldn't do anything about it, short of getting caught. So, he instead chose to focus on following Atiae. If this was just another minor incident, then maybe they could walk back. But, if it wasn't...

"Pikachu, can you watch our backs?"

The mouse rolled his eyes in response, and smiled. "As if you need to ask. And it's a pretty big back, It'd be hard to miss in the first place."

* * *

The trip was a surprisingly short one, Ash had to admit. The canals were a surprisingly direct route, and Ash made a mental note to try and remember this particular path, just in case he got lost. It'd be nice to be able to find his way back easily for once.

But, before he could muse more on directions, Atiae spoke up, bringing him back to reality. "Ash, the direction the noises came from the main loading dock. It's the biggest port in the city, and if it's a genuine problem, it won't be something small."

The male nodded, and rolled his eyes. With the sounds he heard from the sanctuary, he doubted that it could be anything that could be considered "small". "Alright, I got it."

Atiae nodded, and gave him a frown. "Ash, I'm serious. This is a very important dock. If a ship genuinely exploded, it'll be closer to a cruise ship sinking than a ferry like you're used to. Hundred or thousands of people will be hurt and dead, Ash. It'll be really, really bad."

Ash just waved a claw. "I was on the St. Anne. I'm sure we'll manage."

The female gave a sigh, and nodded. "If you say so. I know you've been through a lot, but I want to make sure you're ready. There's a difference between being on the ship, and watching someone else sink on it. Besides, we're almost there. We'll find out, soon enough."

The trio then flew for another moment in complete silence, before Atiae spoke again. It'll be right around this corner. Get ready, I smell smoke." Ash and Pikachu both nodded in return, and the male continued following her. But, as they turned around the corner to the port, he spotted the problem, and the reality of what she meant hit him.

There was a massive inferno in the middle of the harbor, and while there were dozens, if not hundreds of sailors, firemen, and others attempting to quell the blaze, their attempts clearly weren't making much progress.

"So, do ships normally crash like that?"

Ash didn't really respond to the angry question his starter made, and instead continued staring. That ship was the definition of an exploded ship. And, unless someone decided to ride a missile into the back, he doubted any crash was even involved. Nothing short of a even larger ship could have caused this much destruction so easily.

But even with the kind of wreckage, destruction, and explosions that he was familiar with, this was a particularly spectacular one. The ship was, as far as he could tell, in four different pieces. And, from the looks of what he could see, completely clean breaks. It looked more like someone simply cut it up, and caught it on fire as an afterthought. Clean breaks and explosives didn't go together in his experience, which made this a completely new experience for him. But, there was only one ship, even if it was a massive one. Where was-

***BOOOOOM***

Ash winced as the ship somehow exploded again, and watched the nearest humans get bowled over. That couldn't have felt good. He began to move for them when several nearby sailors beat him to it and began dragging the injured firefighters and passerby away.

He didn't understand. How did the ship break so cleanly, and why was it still exploding? Could they do that? Explode twice? Or maybe even more?

But, while Ash stared in horror at the sinking inferno, Atiae instead turned and gave Pikachu an irritated glare. "Now's not the time for jokes. Ship's don't normally "explode" in Altomare. I was worried of it being an oil tanker that just ran into the side of the dock and caught fire. But, that's not the biggest problem."

Pikachu took another long look at the destroyed ship, before looking around at the large crowds of humans running around. "So, there's a bigger problem than ships randomly exploding?"

The female growled. "Yeah, but look at_ what's_ explo-"

"**Princess!**"

The trio all jumped at the booming voice, as did several nearby humans, and the pair of dragons immediately spun around, with both Atiae and Pikachu tensing up for battle and glaring at the new intruder. But, after a short moment, the female dropped her claws and smiled slightly. "Took you long enough."

Ash, on the other hand, found himself going from staring at an inferno, to staring at a Lati. A positively massive one. And while he knew that Lati could get big, this one was almost comedically so. The male couldn't help but continue staring for a moment, before feeling his previous shock and terror somehow morph into something else, something he hadn't felt for a long time.

Inadequacy. And he felt sickened by it's timing.

He knew he was small body-wise for a Latios, a fact that, while he would never admit it openly, irritated him. But while he was small, he was still much bigger than almost all Latias, and if that wasn't enough, his wingspan dwarfed anyone else's he'd seen so far. However, this newcomer made him look _tiny_.

Hell, the smallest part of the dragon's arms were probably thicker than his entire neck. He made a quick glance to Atiae, and angrily noted that she had a relieved smile on her face, and felt an unwelcome pang of jealousy, along with a chaser of self loathing at feeling like he did in the middle of an emergency. He was feeling jealous, for a reason he still didn't understand, while people were dying. Burning. He didn't know what was worse, the distraction, or the traitorous, selfish emotions he was feeling from it.

"Gortag, What have I told you?"

The large male simply stared silently at Atiae for a second, as if judging her, which made Ash feel a surge of protectiveness, along with his jealousy. His gut told him that she was _his _and no one else's, and his head wanted to focus on the situation at hand, the people burning, dying and fighting the fire. His head and instincts were at war, and he hated it.

As Ash went to war with himself, however, the Dragon continued to remain silent for a moment. But, after several more seconds, the massive dragon shrugged, and gave the trio a sincere smile. "Gortag is too subtle."

The answer got a mixed response. Irritation from Ash, who felt his sudden, inexplicable need to protect what was his from the newcomer triple, amusement from Pikachu, and, to Ash's relief, a flash of anger from Atiae, who looked like she wanted nothing more than to reject the Large male's statement, and deny his boast. But, after several tense seconds, she growled in anger and defeat, and instead turned around and looked back at the slowly sinking remnants of the ship. "Not helping. Now," Atiae made a gesture at the wreckage and the dozens of humans around it. "We need to check the ship."

Ash nodded immediately in agreement, glad for both the opportunity to do something, and to change the subject. "For survivors?"

At the suggestion, she froze for a short moment, and looked back over the completely destroyed ship, as if judging something. But, after a second, she nodded. "If possible. But, more importantly, for what made this explosion. We need to find a genuine reason why the ship went up in flames and broke apart like it did. If we can't-"

Before Atiae could finish her sentence, another explosion rang out, this time, much, _much_ closer.

The three Lati plus Pikachu reflexively ducked, and it took them a second to regain their bearings. But, when they did, they found that a nearby ship, one that was still heading for the harbor, had suddenly ignited, split neatly in half, and was now rapidly sinking.

There was some screams coming from the ship, and Ash immediately attempted to rush off to help. "Gortag! Stop him!"

But, before he could get anywhere, he was stopped by a pair of massive arms grabbing him around the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Ash began to struggle and squirm in a desperate attempt to get to the ship and help the passengers, but he barely could make the arms budge. "Let me go! We can help!"

"Ash! Wait!"

"Let me go!"

"Ash! We can't-"

Before Atiae could finish her sentence, the ship completely detonated, and Ash watched as it seemingly split open at the seems, and almost immediately sank into the water. Ash watched in horror for a moment, unable to process what he just saw, before going limp. He just watched hundreds die, and he couldn't even save one of them.

He sat there for a moment, staring, until a claw gently touched his face. He looked over at them, and found Atiae sitting there, a sad expression on her face. "Ash, We couldn't do anything."

Ash blinked, before nodding weakly. Atiae sighed at that, and frowned. "Ash...this is the biggest harbor In Altomare. Half the ships here are military, Ash. These ships have guns, bullets, hell,** missiles** on them. And they're exploding. Going up in flames. Someone is burning them, sinking them, and that's not something someone would do without a reason. We need to get to the sanctuary."

Ash sat there for a moment, trying to understand what she was trying to tell him, before it hit him. She wanted him to leave, to abandon the people on the ships and run away. His expression turned dark, and he immediately leveled the angriest glare he had at her. "No. We can't just-"

Atiae put a claw to his lips, and frowned further. "What? Leave them? Ash, if we don't get back to the sanctuary and keep the Soul Dew safe, there won't even be an Altomare."

Ash blinked, before glaring some more. "What does the Soul Dew have to do with anything!?"

She took a few deep breaths, before sighing again. "Ash, Whirlwind is after the Soul Dew. And, do you know what the three groups are after?"

Ash's glare didn't lessen, but he answered. "Magma is Groudon, Aqua is Kyorge, and Whirlwind is..."

"Rayquaza. And all three have their own item to control them. And Rayquaza's is the eight Soul Dew. And we are his guardians. And, because they need it, Magma and Aqua want it, too. We have all three of Hoenn's gangs trying to hunt down us, Ash. They want our kind, the Soul Dew, and to keep all of it out of each other's hands. We need to make sure that the Soul Dew is safe, or the entire city will go under, and Whirlwind will have what they need. And then, there will be no one to save."

Ash continued glaring, and Atiae growled lightly. "Ash, this is a distraction. They're bringing all of interpol's attention to the docks, and then, they'll try and hit the sanctuary, hard. We need to keep the Soul Dew safe. We have to choose now, either protect the Soul Dew, or gamble that this isn't just a distraction, and that the Soul Dew isn't in danger. Would you bet the thousands of lives here, for the millions of lives in the city? The millions that will die if Whirlwind gets what they want? Because that's what will happen if we fail, Ash. This is bigger than us, than the Lati, or hell, even Altomare. We're all that is between Whirlwind and them winning, and I'll be damned if I let them win without a fight."

The male blinked, before growling furiously. He hated this. He was stuck between two impossible choices, and neither were a good choice.

Atiae noticed his saddened expression, and sighed. "I know it's not right. If it was just some fires or sinking boats, I'd stay. I'd die for the people of Altomare, Ash, but sometimes, we have to make hard choices. And right now, someone is sinking Altomare's coast guard and the Interpol battleships stationed here, and we need to focus on what's important. The thousands here will be mourned, but Ash... if we fail, Millions of people, what's left of my... of_ our_ species, will be but dust in the wind. We are left choosing between the millions of the city and beyond, or the hundreds of people on the boats here. The hundreds that will die if we lost the Soul Dew anyway."

Ash growled, and wanted to say something, anything, to refuse, but the female interrupted him, and brought her other hand to his cheek. "It's hard, But... Ash, I'm... No, _we're_ the guardians of Altomare. We can't save everyone, but I'll be damned if I let them take the entire city. We can only save so much, and I intend on saving as many as I can."

Ash paused, before sighing. "But... It's not right."

Atiae simply gave him a sad smile in response. "It never is. But, we'll stop them. We'll make them rue the day they thought they could kill so many for their own selfish ambitions, their attempts to bring both the Lati and nature under their heel. We will break them, and let Arceus and Mew judge them for their actions. But, to do that, we need to get to the sanctuary, protect the Soul Dew, and make sure that we will be able to bring the fight to them, tomorrow."

Another explosion made itself heard, and another, more distant ship split in half neatly, before completely becoming engulfed with flames. Ash simply stared at it blankly for a moment, clenching his claw angrily, before nodding. She was right, no matter how much it hurt him to hear it. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few.

It was just like when he risked his friends to stop some bad guy. But... With people he didn't know. He'd just... have to make sure he won, in the end.

"Let's get to the sanctuary."

* * *

**A/N Sooooo, Here's the next chapter! It was honestly a lot of fun to write, even though it seemed to get a bit wonkey in the middle there. Hopefully, the next chapter will be both better and sooner!**

**But, in that, I apologize. The original idea was to post all of this sequence, this... event, in a single chapter, but... I just couldn't do it. Too many awkward breaks, short time skips, and perspective changes to make it work fluidly, and if together, the chapter would be massive to boot. So, I decided to break them all up, into five different chapters. Hopefully it works like I planned, and if it does, (Or doesn't) Please tell me in a review or Pm!**

**I love reviews, especially con crit ones. Brutal, nit picky ones are the best, because I can either learn to improve the story, or learn about my readers! **

**And next up, on a separate note, I apologize for the previous wait between the Last chapter, and the one that came before. I could say I was busy, and it wouldn't be a lie, but there's a difference between I was busy, and I was Busy, and far too lazy to use the free-time I had for anything constructive.**

**Spoilers! It was the second one. **

**So, in the end, I hope you liked the chapter, and I'll hopefully see you with the next one!**


	31. It

"Lorip, sir! It's Aqua, their-"

"Magma, sir!"

"Half of the interpol ships harbored ships have been sunk! Magma units have-"

**"Quiet!"**

Lorip took the short moment of silence to recompose himself. Just stick with the facts, and all will be clear.

Fact. Both he and the Princess always knew this would happen, but they never knew when. After all, they were so tempting a target, with over 600 pairs of adult Lati, the last known Soul Dew, and countless eggs and young, all ripe for the picking. The only reason they remained safe was the overwhelming shadow that was Interpol's protection that they were given, but even then, they were a force that could be infiltrated, as well as being forced to protect an island with open borders. They were bound to fail, the only question had been how long it took.

Fact. Both Aqua and Magma were here. Aqua more than magma, it seemed, but still. Whirlwind wasn't confirmed, but was assumed to be here. All three groups showed up at the same time, at the same day, which implied something planned, or a terrifying coincidence. It stank of something foul.

Fact. Interpol was far too prepared to lose an open conflict, and it would eventually remove the invaders. The island was it's main port, headquarters, rehabilitation center, and deployment base, all in one. Too many eggs in a basket, sure, but it still meant that, in the end, the three groups weren't big or powerful enough to be able to best them, even if working together. They simply lacked the income and human resources to match them.

Fact. Whirlwind, Magma, and Aqua knew this.

Add all of this together, and he got a few ideas. Such as,

A: They planned a hit and run, hoping to grab as many Lati as they could. A viable plan, but it would gain heavy losses, and the security would be doubled afterward, making a hit and run much harder later.

B: They were getting very desperate, but, as for why, he didn't know. This idea didn't seem likely, seeing as the three groups were, if anything, growing. Especially Magma and Aqua, who got a large amount of recruits from those opposing either their opposite, or Whirlwind.

Or C: They were planning something completely unknown.

Lorip sighed, and thought that last one through. What plans could be thought of that would benefit the group, and what made them so appealing or appalling that they jumped at the chance to try and steal it, or stop it? He knew Magma and Aqua targeted Lati simply to spite Whirlwind and weaken them, so they weren't likely to risk it all for something as little as Lati, unless Whirlwind had recently became a massive threat. And, even if they had, Magma was known to hold a Soul Dew, meaning they already kept their plans at bay by simply keeping it safe. What made them risk so much for some unknown "plan?"

So much was missing, and he couldn't figure out a reason, which made this much more difficult. He may have been right at the groups eventually attacking, but now, it simply left more questions than answers.

And, what was worse, he never expected this sort of show-out, even though he expected them. The more viable, more temporary plans expected infiltrators, or a raid. But instead, he got an invasion. Hunting groups were returning with news of Magma helicopters by the dozens, Aqua ships, jets and Submarines making a beeline towards the island, and there were even rumors of a whirlwind heli-jet or whatever the damned things were called flying through the city, disappearing as suddenly as it appeared. And, if that weren't enough, the first reports had surfaced mere minutes after the princess had left to investigate the harbor, leaving him as the main conduit of news and the head of the command-base. He was dealing with a literal invasion, and he had no clue how to handle it beyond the most extreme of contingencies.

Lorip gave a small sigh, and shook his head. A very unexpected turn of events, indeed. He even found himself worried that, somehow, Magma and Aqua had joined sides, and were working together. He truly hoped that it wasn't the case. The island was surrounded well enough. If they were fighting, it'd at least make things a bit easier. "Princess, where are you?"

He hoped that the Princess and her claimed would return soon. She was definitely needed now more than ever. But, in the meantime, he had a job to do. He took a deep breath, and made a decision. He hoped it was the right one.

"You two! Make sure the Hatchlings are ready for transport! We're making a full evacuation! And you! Find jama, He and the other warriors are to protect the Soul Dew! You know what the stakes are!"

But, before he could continue, there was a loud Helicopter that flew over. He grimaced, and looked up, prepared to bring the flying machine down. He charged up psychic energy, but before he could focus it, a voice interrupted him.

"Sir, it's interpol!"

Lorip couldn't help but give a sigh of relief as he let the attack die. They weren't ready for a full on assault. Not yet, there were too many young here.

"Somebody bring all the council members here! I need to give them directions!"

Lorip let loose a small growl out of stress, and looked to his right. "Habni, go join your brother with the Princess. Take two shades you trust with you, you'll most likely need the help."

A small distortion flickered in acceptance, and immediately faded, and Lorip shook his head. He needed the Council gathered so that once the Princess arrived, she could sort this out.

* * *

Ash was angry. Furious. Livid. With himself, with Magma, Aqua, or whoever the hell did this, and with Atiae, who told him what was needed, even though he hated it. He knew it was true, and he couldn't be angrier.

He'd lost a few friends before. Her brother was the first, and Lucario was the second, but they both died by their choice, and to save something greater. The City, their sister, the tree of life.

But now, they was condemning hundreds to die, so _they_ could save something greater. Hundreds who wanted nothing more than to be saved, hundreds who were being sacrificed not by their choice, but by that of another. Logically, it made sense, they would die if they failed to protect the Soul Dew anyway, but the truth was, his heart rejected that knowledge violently. He was feeling something he hadn't felt for a very, very long time, hatred, and he had no clue who to direct it towards.

"Ash! Stop!"

Ash barely caught the words in time, and screeched to a halt before turning and looking angrily at Atiae, who somehow got behind him. "What!?"

Atiae made a "come here" gesture, and Ash frowned angrily before obliging. "What? If we're gonna leave the people at the dock, we should at least get to the Sanctuary fast."

The female growled a bit, and shook her head. "Well, I apologize for keeping you from running through a Magma blockade."

The male blinked at that, and frowned. "Huh?"

"Ash, look ahead. I know your eyes are good enough."

The male sighed, and did so, and immediately spotted several humans in red uniforms several hundred meters ahead, making him grimace internally. He was so caught up in his anger, that he didn't even notice. "Er..."

Atiae sighed, and shook her head. "I was right. Magma's here in Altomare. We need to find another way around."

Ash didn't respond, and instead continued staring at the grunts. Magma. They were the ones who sank the ships. Attacked him in Petalburg, hurting dozens just to catch him. Kills thousands, just to catch him and the other Lati. To get the Soul Dew, Latias' brother. Atiae's brother.

A slow, bubbling rage began roiling in his gut, and before he knew it, he was starting to move forward.

But, before he got anywhere, a very large set of claws plopped down onto his back, stopping him. "Huh?"

Ash turned his head to look, and found himself looking at the large male, Gortag. He was putting his claws on his back in a sort of comforting gesture, and had the claws been half their size, it would be akin to putting one's hand on another's shoulder. "Bad idea."

The young Sky-Dancer scowled at the male, and gave a furious glare. He was still angry at the giant in the first place, out of jealousy and other unsaid feelings, and now, the male thought he could tell him what he could and couldn't do.

"Gortag knows your anger. Your hate. Many die at hands of Magma, of Aqua. Of whirlwind. But hate don't help, it hurt. If we hurt those who hurt us, are we same as those who hurt without care?"

Ash blinked in surprise, thinking of the clumsily said advice. He wanted to hurt Magma. Aqua. For hurting others. Isn't that just justice?

Gortag sighed at Ash's still determined expression, and continued. "Gortag live long time. Over hundred years. See many good things, do many bad things. Sank ships, drown humans, burn planes. Even kill brother for stupid thing. But never worth it. Never worth it."

"Human young same as Lati young. Want to do right. Want to be welcomed. Join group, thinking that it only path. Want to do right, even when doing wrong. Cry for mother when alone, when dying, same as Lati. Protect pack, try to die together than live alone, same as Lati. Even when they grow old, they give last safe floater thing to younger, so younger may live, like how elder give up food for hatchling to grow when no food. They want to do right, and think right worth any cost. Even if cost is themselves, or hundreds of other. Think that the hundred that die is price for all others may live."

Ash didn't have a response, and Gortag continued. "Hate no help, only make worse. Killing don't fix problems, only make different ones. And Monsters are monsters, but there are no monsters, are there? All are same. All scared. All want to make right. So don't hurt for hate. Use strong for protect, not attack. Killing sometimes needed, but only when needed to protect."

The large male then lifted his claws off Ash's back, and nodded. "Live life good. Love better than hate."

Ash slowly took in what the large dragon said, before sighing. He still wanted to hurt them, for killing so many, for hurting so many. But, it wasn't right. He'd just be doing what they did, attacking for what he thought was right, for justice that wasn't really there. He'd got caught up in his anger, and almost did something stupid. He let his anger get the best of him. "Thanks, Gortag."

The large male smiled, and nodded. "Gortag always help friend. Princess friend. You friend. Even little snack friend."

Pikachu frowned at the comment, and glared. "Hey!"

Atiae sighed in relief as the situation defused, and let herself make a small smile. Gortag calmed Ash down pretty well. Who knew he had such a way with words? But, even if Ash was calm, they still needed to get home. There was more important things to do. "So... As nice as this moment is, we still need to get to the sanctuary. Any ideas?"

Ash shrugged, and looked around a bit. "Just fly over?"

The female shook her head in rejection. "We'd become a target, and we can't fly as fast as you can, nor can Pikachu hold on when you fly that quick."

"Just plow through?"

The female looked at Gortag, and rolled her eyes in irritation. "That's always your idea. Any others?"

There was a silence for a moment, before Atiae sighed. "Fine, we'll-"

"Guys?"

"Pikachu, wait. We can-"

"Guys!"

Atiae frowned, and glared at the mouse. "What, Pikachu, What?"

"Hi, Princess!"

Ash looked over to the familiar voice, and saw a surprisingly brutal sight. The shade, who normally held a small amount of transparency, was strikingly red around the claws and mouth. "Is that... blood?"

Habni nodded with a cheerful smile, and flicked his claws, sending a small amount of crimson into the canal beneath them. "Yep! Path's clear, princess! Bodies removed and everything!"

Said Princess frowned, and looked at the shade. She knew the shades would do something, but she wanted to keep Ash from the violence. Hell, she wanted to be kept from the violence. "You killed them all?"

The dragon in question simply nodded, seemingly insulted at the question. "Of course! How would the path be clear otherwise?"

Atiae held a internal grimace, and looked over to Ash, who looked both shocked and slightly disgusted. She had hoped to to keep Ash away from the realities of the situation, but it seemed to have hunted them down. But, at least the path was clear. She'd deal with the aftermath later. "And did they radio anyone?"

The shade shook his head. "Nope! Didn't even know they died. Well... That last one did, but that was a slip up, nothing more. Missed an artery."

Ash continued to stare at the shade in mild horror, recalling what he was told. Shades were assassins, plain and simple. Killing wasn't a issue, and they didn't care. A benefit, and a curse. He looked over to where the magma members were, and sure enough, there wasn't anything but a couple red spots on the walls.

"So Princess, you're needed at the sanctuary."

Nodding, the Changeling sighed. "Very well. Let's get going. Is there any more Magma members ahead?"

The shade gave another smile. "There _was_."

* * *

The rest of the trip was short. No one ahead, not even pedestrians, and beyond several areas with some small amounts of blood, no Magma members either. Which was what Ash preferred. He didn't want to think about Magma, dead or otherwise. They quickly made their way into the sanctuary, where they were met by a Latios.

"Princess! Thank goodness the three of you are alright!"

She simply nodded in response, and sighed. "We found Magma members on our way back. Any news from the patrols?"

The Latios nodded, and another Latias, Lulu, floated over and gave a reply before the male could speak. "Yes. We have Aqua attacking the shores, and Magma has been airlifting members into the city. We've began evacuating and we're halfway finished. If everything went well, the first groups should be arriving in Hoenn very soon. But the Council is waiting for you, Milady."

Ash, who sat beside the Princess, snarled in anger, and turning to Atiae, feeling betrayed. He thought they would be saving Altomare, not abandoning it, and if what Lulu said was true, Atiae planned on this all along. "We're just leaving?!"

The princess grimaced, but before she could speak, Lulu gave an answer. "Partially, yes. We'll leave the strongest behind to keep the Soul Dew safe. But, the Sanctuary is far too small to keep everyone safe. If anything, with this many of us stuck in such a small place, it'd just take a couple well placed explosives or Gas bombs and we'd lose half of the herd."

Ash gave another growl of anger, and Atiae finally managed to find her words. "Ash... they're here for us, not the city. We leave, they leave. We will keep the Soul Dew, the city, safe. The humans have harbored us for years, and we'll return the favor, but... we'll lose more than we'll save if we keep the whole herd here. Once the city is safe, and the invaders are gone, we'll return. But, right now, the best we can do is leave, protect the Soul Dew, and hope that we can hold out until the humans drive them out."

The male gave another growl, and looked over to Atiae. "Ati, we can't-"

"Ash."

The male froze, and simply stared at her. She hadn't used that tone to him before. "I know it's hard, but we have to think about_ ourselves_ first. There are children and parents who can't fight, the sick an old who are too weak to do much besides hunt. And for us to protect Altomare, we need them gone, and safe. After they are alright, _then_ we can focus on protecting the Soul Dew. As such, I need to plan the evacuation. Ash, I need _you_ to go to the Soul Dew, and I know you'll keep it safe. If you want to help the city and it's people, that's what you can do."

Ash growled lowly, and gave her a glare, but Atiae continued. "I know, Ash. But we can only do so much. And right now, we're all there is. There are no other herds, no other large groups of Lati left in the world. If we stay, keep the sick and young in the way, keep them around as distractions, We risk more than a city. We're all there will be for us. Hundreds, thousands, no, _millions_ of unborn Lati will never be, if we decide that this will be our last stand. I shouldn't put a Lati's life over a humans, but... those are the decisions I have to make. Ash, your job is to make sure that we don't lose the Soul Dew. If you do that, then every human on this island will die. Can you do that for me?"

He wanted nothing more to say no, to say that they should push the invaders back, but he couldn't. He continued glaring, but nodded once. "Fine."

Atiae smiled weakly, and took several deep breaths to calm herself, before letting out a large sigh. "Thank you, Ash. I know you'll be the guardian of Altomare in my stead. Now, Go."

Ash nodded again, and turned around, a frown etched on his face. "Come on Pikachu, let's go."

* * *

Atiae winced internally as she watched Ash float away, with Pikachu on his back. It wasn't a nice truth, but it was needed. And hopefully, Ash would see that when he calmed down. He wouldn't like it, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. Her people were under attack, the city was being invaded, and she needed to plan a defense.

"Lulu, where is the council? And who's already been evacuated?"

"The young have been safely moved, and the hatchlings and eggs are being transported as we speak. And, as for the council, they are waiting for you. Around half the herd has left the city, but it has been mostly parents with their young. The only worry we have for them is if they actually go the right spot and not get lost in Hoenn somewhere."

Atiae nodded, and began following the shade as she floated towards the Council area. "And the patrols?"

Lulu grimaced at that. "The inner-city patrol returned completely intact. As for the middle and outer... Most made it, but we lost five. But the shore and port patrols have only two and one left, respectively. Aqua has never been one for leaving many alive., and we still don't know how they spot us so quickly."

The Princess sighed, and nodded. She still couldn't believe this was happening. Yesterday, she was sleeping snuggled up to Ash, and now, she and her people were fighting for their lives. "Any immediate concerns?"

Lulu shrugged. "We think Whirlwind is here, but there has been no... confirmed sightings. We're not sure if they're biding their time, or if they simply haven't involved themselves in this little invasion."

"And Interpol?"

Lulu smiled at that. "There is little doubt that they'll win. They have thrice the manpower, four times the equipment, and the home-field advantage. The only genuine worry is if they get the Soul Dew. We lose that, and the whole city goes under."

Atiae nodded once. She had no doubt that, out of the entire city, the Soul Dew was the safest place for Ash. And she didn't doubt that with Ash and Pikachu there, the Soul Dew was much safer as well.

The pair of dragons then moved wordlessly for several moments, until they finally arrived at the Council area. "Princess! I'm relieved that you're alright."

Atiae gave a single nod to the Lati, and took several more calming breaths. She needed to breath. Atiae waited for a short moment, before regaining her composure. "So, what is the situation? Who's been evacuated, and who's still here?"

Lulu frowned at her question, most likely due to Lulu already answering it, but she didn't say anything when Merrim quickly stepped up with an answer. "So far, all Lati under the age of fifteen have been evacuated, with the first batches confirmed arriving safely in Hoenn. Most of the parents have left with their hatchlings as well, leaving mostly the singles, the council members and combat capable Lati left in the sanctuary. We have a dozen shades wandering the city right now, ruining the invader's day, as per Lorip's orders."

The princess nodded, mindlessly noting a new cut on his face, and sighed. "Very well. Things are going as smooth as we could've hoped. So, right now, has anyone spotted any whirlwind members?"

"Well... about that..."

Atiae groaned at the sentence, but before she could say anything, Lorip gave a sigh and moved forward. "What Merrim was trying to say, we haven't seen any. However, from what we've heard, both Aqua and Magma think they're here. So it's safe to say that if they aren't here, they will be."

As he said that, a series of thuds sounded out in the distance. "What was that?"

Lorip shrugged. "We have no idea. We've been hearing them around the city for the past ten minutes. We're thinking that their some sort of Magma device, perhaps an anti-ship weapon of some sort. But we haven't been able to spot anything, nor what they could be doing."

Atiae held back a groan. She should've expected something new, even if it wasn't aimed at them. "So, how does Whirlwind operate? I've want a reminder."

The group remained silent for a moment, before Amien spoke up. "Clean. Precise. They don't like rushing in, so they usually have something made just for you. Nothing Magma doesn't have, usually, but they use it a tad bit better. They like maximum captures, so they usually will wait until night, or when the group is doing something in close quarters. They don't tend to leave any behind as a result, so it's been hard to tell how many they've caught, and how effective they really are. They've been more of a boogie man than a actual threat most of the time. They only show up once in a while to remind everyone they exist."

Atiae put a claw on her face, and sighed. "So, they're pretty good, and we don't know nothing?"

Amien nodded. "Yep. I'd say to just expect magma, but better, just to be safe."

"Doesn't really make them seem so scary."

Lorip looked irritated at the speaker, and shook his head. "Merrim, it's not how well they catch you, but what they _do_ to you that makes them terrifying."

The princess growled lightly in an attempt to change the subject, and instead looked over to Amien. "What about the museum? The DMA was made for this exact purpose."

The council didn't immediately respond, but after a moment, it was Amien that spoke. "Magma has taken the Museum, and fortified it. They're using it as their headquarters, and we haven't been able to find a way in. We suspect that they know of what it can do somehow, and either plan on using it, or intend to keep it from being used. If it's the first, we might be able to fight through and get in, but, if it's the second-"

"Then they have most likely already dismantled or destroyed it. Either way, it's not an option right now."

Atiae gave a groan, and took another deep breath. "So, our options are to wait and see if someone tries to attack, and wait until Interpol actually does something."

Several Solemn nods were her only reply, and the Princess of Altomare sighed. "My claimed is with the Soul Dew. Amien, I want you, Larry and Lulu to join him. Under _no circumstances_ will we lose the Soul Dew. Understand?"

The pair looked at him, before nodding in understanding and immediately leaving. "Merrim. I want you and several of the patrol members to keep an _extremely_ close look at all entrances of the Sanctuary. That includes the air, understand? They can fly too."

The male gave a single, resolute nod, before leaving as well.

"And Lorip. Just... do what you do best. I'm sure the twins are around here somewhere, seeing as Habni disappeared after I showed up. They'll be enough."

Lorip gave a sad smile in return, before fading from view. "As you wish, Milady."

Another deep breath was taken, and Atiae made a wish for everything to work out. This city was her home, and she wanted nothing more than to keep it, Ash, and it's inhabitants, safe.

_*thud thud thud*_

"What is that?"

*Thud Thud Thud*

"Is it getting... closer?

*THUD THUD THUD*

Atiae tried to locate the origin of the noise. It was coming from-

***THUMP THUMP THUMP***

"The Soul Dew!"

* * *

**A/N So, This wasn't supposed to be posted for, I don't know, three days. But, hey, the one year anniversary is coming up, and I want to get the end of the first act out before then, so... I'll push it forward a bit. So, Here we are! I hope that you liked it, but if you didn't, you know what to do.** ;)


	32. All

**A/N**

**So... It's been a bit. **

**And, I owe you all a major apology. **

**I apologize for the wait, and for my complete radio silence. I guess, losing those chapters, as well as the good majority of my notes, hit me harder than I thought, because I ended up getting a weird perfection streak going for this one. And, well... This chapter has been hard. Like, Uber hard. It vexed me so much, that It's been rewritten almost a dozen times. And so, alas, I've given up on it. Not in a "I'll longer be writing it" kinda way, but in a "I'll just make sure it has the required plot bits, and isn't full of enough spelling errors to make a grammar Nazi faint" kinda way. **

**So, here it is. I expect that the next chapter may be the same way, but, on the bright side, that means that it should be out super quick, if only due to my ALL ENCOMPASSING RAGE that I feel for this arc right now.**

**Also, to all those who PM'd me, all 60 of you, sorry for being lax on responding. I've been kinda away from Fanfiction, beyond reading updates to stories. But now, I'm back. And I plan on staying. **

**FOREVER~**

* * *

"So... you got any idea what we're supposed to be doing?"

Ash just gave the mouse a small, helpless shrug, and looked over to his best friend, who was leaned up against one of the stone tablets near the fountain. The mouse had a point. What the heck were they supposed to be doing? Just sit here and wait?

"I guess we're just supposed to sit here and keep the Soul Dew safe?"

Pikachu grumbled a bit at that, and Ash didn't blame him. "So, we're not going after whoever did this, and show them who's boss? That's a first."

The male Latios couldn't help but give a huff in agreement. This wasn't the standard adventure, that's for sure. "I know... I don't like it. Things used to be simple. Bad guy gets thing, we get it back, or we get beat and the other guy that's been following us steps up and saves the day. None of this "Kill everyone" stuff."

"You know, if most bad guys were like this, we'd have lost, like, five times, at least. So maybe, it's a good thing most of them are like that?"

The young dragon nodded, before grumbling a little. Sure, maybe they had just been lucky up until now, but the thought that most of those who tried to take over the world were idiots was anything but comforting. But hey, maybe if they were lucky, these guys would make the same mistakes, or at least, very similar ones. "Maybe. So, er... should we be doing anything right now? You know, It feels dumb, just sitting around."

"You'll get used to it, wings. That's the entirety of guard duty. Wait for somethin' that'll hopefully never come."

Ash nearly jumped at the very unexpected voice, and spun around, immediately finding a older, green eyed Latias sitting on the ground nearby, staring at him with a small smile. She definitely wasn't there a minute ago.

"Oh, er... hello. But... Wings?"

She seemed genuinely amused by the question, and her small smile turned into a toothy grin as she rose up. "Yep. You got those giant wings. Bigger than the norm, at any rate. You a Sky Dancer, kid?"

The young dragon just nodded. What else could he say? "Um, yeah."

"Figured. Haven't ever seen one of yer kind before, so I wanted to make sure. Some dragons get pretty testy about that sorta thing. Especially Changelings.. I mean, call one a heartless succubus just once...Anyway! Wings, where ya from? I don't recognize you from the normal guard rotation."

Ash looked over at Pikachu, who simply shrugged in confusion, before looking back at her. Well, she seemed nice enough, and he didn't want to seem impolite. "Er, I'm from Pallet, I guess."

The Latias chuckled, and shook her head, before hovering off the ground and floating closer, as if trying to get a good look at him. And, as she did so, the first thing he noticed was that she was a tad larger than he was.

"Been there once or twice. Great berry patch southwest of that bigger beach. You ever been there?"

"Yeah... That big Oran berry patch? I used to go there all the time."

She nodded with that same, toothy grin, and he couldn't help but reciprocate. It wasn't often he met someone who had been to Pallet and actually bothered to remember much. "That's the one." She replied softly, and then, to Ash's disappointment, instead decided to sit there for a moment in complete silence. Ash watched for a moment, before giving up and turning away, but once he did, she spoke again.

"So, Tell me, Wings, why are ya here? Yer not a honor guard, I don't recognize ya, and we're tryin' to keep magma Lati from pluckin' up the Soul Dew, and killin' everyone here. If you're a infiltrator, you're pretty shitty."

Ash froze, but before he could say anything, she continued. "But... I guess you wouldn't need to be a good one if you could just outrun everyone here." Before Ash could properly turn back around and react, her claw wrapped around his wrist.

"So please, be honest with yer intentions, and maybe I won't kill ya slow and painful like."

Ash choked a little, and his eyes went wide in fear. This definitely wasn't supposed to happen. "Oh, no, wait, I'm-"

"Den, knock it off. The princess will tear ya a _pair_ 'a new ones if she catches you screwin' around her claimed like that."

The Latias let go of his wrist immediately, and gave the Latios a small growl along with a irritated glare. "Gan, shut the hell up, you ruinin' my joke." The Latias then looked back at Ash and gave an disappointed frown. "Fine, Names Den. I'm a current chaser, a kelp gulper, a scale humper, and a nice pile of Gyarados bait. Whichever slur you prefer. And that jackass over there," The Latios in question waved a claw, "is my brother and clutchmate. We're two warriors from what used to be the Manu clan, down by Viridian."

The male took a moment to recuperate, but once he got his wits back, he smiled awkwardly. Great, now there were apparently clans. At this rate, he'd never figure this out. "Er, I'm Ash. Of, um... the human raised clan."

Den let out a guffaw at that, before giving Ash a solid punch in the shoulder, which gave a painful jolt. "Good one, wings. Do ya mind if I call you wings?"

"Um... any other choices?" Ash asked nervously.

"Cloud pisser. Sky wanker. Errr, what was that other one, Gan?"

"Minute man."

"Nah, not that one, the other one."

"Er, Lightning rod?"

Den nodded. "That's the one! Ya know, 'cause you guys are always so high up and all."

Ash didn't know what a good half of those nicknames meant, but he could tell they weren't all that flattering. "Er, I think I like "wings" best."

The green eyes Latias seemed disappointed at that, but after a short moment, she nodded. "Eh, fine. You sure Lightning rod won't work? I like that one tha' best."

Pikachu chortled a bit at that, and gave Ash a big, seemingly innocent grin as he looked over at him. "Yeah, you sure it won't work, Lightning?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

The mouse was definitely put out by that. "Psh, fine. Ruin all my fun..."

Ash just rolled his eyes at the melodramatic electric type, and looked away from him, and instead put his focus back to the Latias. "So, Den, we just... wait?"

The Latias in question nodded, and sighed, seemingly saddened. "Yep. There are the patrollers, fighters, and even those sneaky little shades out there, dyin' and killin', and we get to sit on our tails and wait for something that might never come. Welcome to the Royal guard, kid. The safest and most important job in the city."

The human-turned-Latios definitely didn't like the sound of that.

"Course, right now, it's pretty unsafe. We got three different groups wantin' the same thing, which we're currently sittin' on. Might as well be a damn bomb for what good it'll do us. But still, we lose it, millions die, Whirlwind gets what they want, yada yada. So, instead of ruminatin' on somethin' depressing like that, let's change the subject! So, whatchya do to catch the Princess' eye? 'Cause everyone figured she was puckered up enough to make a singularity, and yet, here ya are, lossenin' her up like it was what you 'er born to do. Hell, if I hadn't a mate, I might even consider tryin' whatever you're sellin'."

Ash's only response to the question was a confused blink. "Huh?"

"You know, You all sexin' with the Princess. Where'd ya learn that?"

Another confused blink. Now he was completely lost. "Huh? We're not... you know..."

"Nah, I don't."

_*Thud*_

Ash froze for a moment at the throaty reverberation, and looked in it's direction, but after waiting a few seconds, found that there was no blossoming explosion, nor smoke in the direction of the noise.

"Uh, What was that?"

The elder Latias just gave a apathetic shrug. "No stinkin' clue. Maybe a boat, maybe some weapon of some kind. Or maybe my little Melia is shootin' around those Draco meteors she loves so much. But, it don't matter. You'll find that, when people are fightin', all kinda sounds happen. The thing you gotta worry 'bout is how close it is."

Pikachu just gave a shrug at that. He hadn't ever been near a war-zone before, let alone in one, but the logic was sound. "Sounds about right. So, uh..."

*Thud*

Ash looked back in the direction of the noise, and scowled. Nope, nothing different, except that there was a couple hover-jets flying over the area. "Was it me, or did that one sound closer?"

Before anyone could answer the question, a hover jet shot directly overhead, passing over the garden. Ash watched as it flew overhead, and scowled. He had no clue who's it was.

Why couldn't people just paint their jets in a identifiable color scheme, like Team Rocket? It made it a lot easier to tell who to aim at, instead of looking at a sea of black jets shooting at each other.

"Yeah. Yer right."

Another Hover jet shot past, this one close enough to the ground that they could feel the jetwash. Ash looked at it, and saw that it was definitely carrying something.

Wait, whatever it was carrying, it just... dropped it off, somewhere in the garden.

*THUD*

"Shit." And like that, Den was tense, and Ash started looking around. Everyone was tensing up, and getting ready for what seemed to be a fight.

"So, Kid. You ever see a giant robot thing before?"

Ash blinked at the question. Oh, the stories he could tell, had he the time. "Uh, Yeah?"

"Know how to fight 'em?"

Pikachu was the one to answer first. "Yep. We kinda got to be experts at that."

"Well, that's great. Cause Whirlwind just loves to use these damn-"

Before she could finish the sentence, a large hover jet pulled overhead, the jet-wash kicking up dust and leaves as it started hovering overhead. And underneath it, were 4 large... somethings, which it proceeded to drop a couple dozen feet away.

***THU-THUNK***

"Huh. Thought they'd be a lot bigger than that."

The Latias gave Pikachu a amused look as she prepared herself. "There are bigger ones, sure. But, what kinda robots do you fight?"

The mouse gave a shrug, his eyes never leaving the now opening mech. It was bipedal, and was easily eight feet tall. It's right arm had a claw, and the other, some sort of weapon.

"Skyscraper tall. They blow up like firecrackers if you hit them juuuuust right."

"Well, I hope you can do the same to these. But don't count on these being tha' easy."

Pikachu smirked at that, and shook his head. "Wouldn't dream of it. Besides, I've been getting rusty. Eh? Get it?"

No one dared answer, and instead, the first mech stepped forward, and leveled it's arm. It looked identical to a grenade launcher.

"Please tell me that's not a-"

*FWUMP*

Before the electric type could finish, a large canister shot out of the weapon attached to the mech's arm, the flying object nearly clocked Pikachu in the head. He gave a squeak of fear, and jumped to the side, where the canister started leaking a orange gas.

"What, really? Sleeping gas? I here I was hoping for a decent fight, not some wimps that fight dirty!"

Den rolled her eyes at the mouse's irritated quip, and gave a psychic pulse, sending both the smoke and the canister flying. "Yeah, they don't really like ta' do that. They fight to win, not ta have fun."

Ash grimaced at the phrase. He was used to Rocket, with their weird, backwards sense of what could be honor. But, still, he had he fights with the occasional monster who'd do anything to win. But those always ended up being the worst fights of his life. and looked forward to the mech, where the other three finished opening. Four against... what? Twelve?

"So, uh, do these things have..."

*THUNK*

Oh, now there's more. Ash looked behind him, where another four mechs had dropped to the ground.

And, weren't there more dropped off further in the garden?

They seemed to come in fours, so... twelve against twelve. Great.

Before anyone could make a move, Pikachu rushed forward, starting a volt tackle towards the first four lumbering bots. They didn't even seem to register the small mouse, instead continuing to focus on the other Lati. "I call these four!"

And, just like that, he collided with the first Mech, his unexpected attack knocking it several paces back as it struggled to keep upright. Pikachu jumped backwards immediately after, and watched in glee as the weapons the large bot held got caught up in his electric charge and detonated, blowing the machine to bits, it's remains flying everywhere, showering it's surprised compatriots.

"See? Like a firecracker."

Den watched the display with a raised brow, and chuckled. She honestly didn't expect a mouse to pack that kinda punch, but the mouse was a trainer's pokemon. "Hey, whatchya know? Ya got one. But watch this!"

The female Lati's eyes lit up brightly, and both Ash and Pikachu watched as a chunk of the destroyed mech lifted up, surrounded by a blue field, and shot towards one of it's compatriots, skewering it neatly. The Mech seemed to squeal in surprise for a split second, before it seemed to finally fail, and started sparking a few times, before simply falling over.

"See? These little ones are shit. Ya gotta watch out for the pilot'd ones, the fifteen footers. Now _those_ are nasty."

Pikachu just scowled at the mech in irritation, before turning towards Den. "Hey, that one was mine!"

The Latias just grinned, and gave a halfhearted shrug. "Than you shoulda killed it quicker."

The mouse grumbled a bit, before shooting toward the next Mech with another Volt tackle. "Fine! I'll get the next two in one move!"

Pikachu rushed forward, and struck the leftmost mech with a volt tackle, it, like it's companion, seemingly surprised by the blow. He then clung to the mech for a second, allowing his electricity to overwhelm the bot, before bounding off the mech's frozen, outstretched arm and leaping towards its companion.

This mech was more prepared, and attempted to block the strike, but the effort did little, and the electric surge easily fried the bot, much like it's partner and like the first, it's weaponry detonated from the high powered electric shock, knocking over the completely fried first mech.

"Ha! Beat that!"

The Latias snorted, and shook her head in amusement. "I like yer pet, Wings. He's got his shit together."

Ash just shook his head, and smiled. "Well, we still got those..."

He looked over to the other quad, and, to his surprise, there was little more than wreckage. "Huh."

"What? Ya think that you'd have to do all the work? We're the elite of the elite, kid. If we needed some trainer raised Lati to fight for us, we have a ton of bigger problems."

The Latios that spoke was suddenly beside him, a grin on his face. If Ash hadn't been so used to Pikachu's antics, he would've flinched. But, instead, he continued staring at the wreckage dispassionately. "I guess."

"Ya guess? So, what's your experience? 'Cause we just took out twelve of whirlwind's heavier scout mechs, and you're here, looking like this is a normal thing."

Ash didn't speak, instead choosing to look over the destroyed remains of the nearest robot. It was pretty standard; It had a gas grenade launcher, and a arm capable of grabbing. Probably was able to extend like Rocket's did, too.

A sturdy trapezoid-eque body, some sturdy, heavy legs. Some decent insulation for fire attacks, and some physical dampeners for physical strikes.

Pretty... mundane. He was expecting a whole lot more. He always figured Team Rocket got discount robots, but, if this what was considered Military spec...

"It is."

The Latios blinked at that, and shrugged. "Huh. I always thought that Trainer's pokemon had it safe."

Ash didn't really respond at that, still pondering on the mech. Rocket had had infinitely more powerful bots. How did they even afford them?

"Safe? Ha, we nearly die four times a week! And that's not including every evil group the world has gunning for us. We barely can get sleep, let alone a safe breakfast."

Den smiled at that, and patted him on the shoulder. "Huh. I guess you got my respect, Wings. But, look alive. Those were probably just the taster, to see what they are up against."

The male Skydancer just nodded, still focusing on the mech. It made no sense. How did those losers get so much funding for such powerful mechs?

"Alright."

But, before Ash could do anything, the world exploded.

* * *

There was Dust everywhere, and yet, as he stared blankly into the cloud, he found that his mind was completely blank. What just happened?

He took a quick, clumsy mental tally. His sensitive ears were ringing, and he was pretty sure that something hit his left eye enough that it was bruised closed. Hopefully.

"Get up Wings! Up, Now!"

Ash barely registered the voice through the sharp ringing of his ears, but did as it told as best he could, and clumsily rose off the ground. His left arm stung a bit as he did so; it seemed that something hit it as well.

Heck, his entire left side hurt.

What hit him?"

He looked over to Den with his one good eye, and saw the she was holding up a protect, and that it was getting pummeled by... hundreds of something.

"Wha?"

Ash then took the opportunity to look over in the direction the attacks originated from, and found... a very terrifying looking mech. It was similar to the previous ones, except... much larger, and was covered in what was hopefully paint.

It was also wielding a minigun, it's barrels spinning rapidly as the hundreds of shells fell to the earth.

He never had seen a real gun before, the weapon seemingly banned from everywhere but the most extensive of police forces and the military. And now, as he looked around and saw the carnage of what one could do, he understood why.

"Yer friend is fighting the other ones. Go help him, We got this one."

Ash clumsily nodded, her statement bringing him back to reality. Wait, Pikachu was fighting multiple of these?

The dragon desperately looked around for his partner, but found nothing. All he saw was a several downed Lati, and a pair of destroyed mechs, similar to the one that was currently firing upon Den.

"The damn mouse, bless his ass, tackled it through the treeline, and took two of the other mechs with him. I'll cover ya, so get goin'!"

The Latias gestured towards a large hole through the small forest, and used her psychic to lift up a chunk of a previously destroyed robot, and chunked it toward the mech, forcing it to cease it's firing to catch the chunk with it's opposite arm, which it proceeded to throw straight back at the Latias, who instead decided to dodge it. But, that lapse in fire was what Ash needed, and he shot towards the treeline, shooting past the mech easily.

He then continued to follow the wreckage of what seemed to be a massive fight throughout the forest for a few minutes, looking over the tree trunks riddled with holes with worry. But, on the bright side several of them seemingly hit by Pikachu's heavier electric attacks, which meant that, at this point, the starter was still fighting.

But it raised a entirely different question.

Just how long was he out?

He continued through the warzone for another moment, when a sound perked his ear, and, through the still continual ringing, he heard the indistinguishable sound of a thunder bolt, and immediately shot in the direction of it, weaving clumsily through the trees. As he continued toward the battle, he passed a completely destroyed mech, a massive hole where the supposed cockpit was. But, Ash didn't pause to think about that, and instead continued on. His best friend needed him.

"Taste thunder!"

Ash continued towards the sounds of battle, and, once ge got into the proper clearing, got a front-row seat as the last standing mech got hit by his starter's strongest attack, the entire area bathed in a blinding yellow light, and watched as the target in question twitched sporadically, before exploding violently, all of it's weapons detonating at once.

Pikachu took a moment to catch his breath after that display, before looking over towards Ash in surprise. And, upon seeing his starter unharmed, Ash let out a sigh of massive relief. Pikachu was, if tired, still unharmed.

"Ash! You're alright!"

The male dragon nodded, and gave the small mouse a weak smile. Pikachu took the gesture as the OK to jump upon him, and rushed forward through the wreckage and leaped,, landing on his neck to give him a hug.

"Ya got pretty dinged up there. Once this is over, we're gonna take you to the Pokemon Center."

Ash couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. Of course the mouse would be fussing over him. It wasn't as if he hadn't just finished fighting several giant robots that could've easily killed him or anything. "Yeah, yeah. So, we gotta get back to the Fountain. They still need help."

His starter nodded at that, and shrugged. "Alright. Let's get-

*THU-THU-THU-THU-THU-THUD*

The pair both winced at the series of explosions, and looked over towards the source of the sound.

The fountain. They forgot about the Soul Dew.

"Ash. We need to get going. Now."

The dragon nodded quickly at the mouse's desperation, and gestured towards his back. "Hold on."

The mouse did so, And Ash shot skyward, towards the direction of the fountain. It only took a couple seconds of desperate flight, but once they arrived, they didn't like what they saw.

There was several more mechs, and, what was worse, they had seemed to have lost the fountain, where there was a larger than normal Hoverjet floating above it, unopposed, along with several smaller jets.

Worse off, there only seemed to be a few Lati protectors left. They were bunched up beside Den, who was keeping a faltering Protect up between them and the mechs, who seemed perfectly content on just keeping them there, out of the way.

"Ash, I don't think we can win this."

The male nodded weakly, the sight of the group bringing his spirits down significantly. But, he refused to give up. Not yet. He had been through worse, after all. And so, he chose to shoot towards down towards Den, quickly ducking down behind her shield. "Ah, I thought the two of you were dead. Good to see that ya still breathe."

She was sweating in exertion, and, the other two Lati that sat behind her were heavily injured.

"So, I'm calling it, we're boned."

"Not over 'til it's over, mouse. We can make one last push. The Princess is on her way, we just gotta hold the line 'til then."

Ash grimaced, and looked over towards the hoverjets. They were starting to pick up the remaining mechs for some reason.

They were leaving? Why? They had complete control over the situation. They wouldn't retreat for a reason.

And yet, even with all the remaining mechs on the group, one jet was leaving, seemingly unloaded.

Why?

"Is everyone alright?"

The electric type's question was a good one, but, for some reason, Ash continued to stare at the leaving jet. It felt... off. The jet called to him in some way, and he couldn't put his claw-...

Er, His finger on it.

"Whatchya think? We're all that's left. But, I gave the Soul Dew ta Gan when things went Pearshaped. He left to find the Princess, and knowing the ass, he's with her righ' now. He always was a bi' of a suck-up."

Ash tried to listen, to think of a plan or at least contribute, but he found that he couldn't change his focus off the jet. It felt so familiar, and yet, it was so distant.

Then, something in his mind clicked.

Oh.

Oh no.

Ash felt his face pale, and adrenaline race, and, before he properly could think, he roughly grabbed Pikachu, and dropped him on the ground. He barely even registered his partner's exclamation of irritation, and instead fought the realization he just had into functional words.

"They got the Soul Dew."

Den's expression was little more than complete shock. "What!?"

He didn't really wait for anything else, uncaring. He knew what he needed to do. He looked over to the jet, and prepared to rush after it. But, before he could leave, a paw grabbed his claw.

"Don't you dare, Ash."

"I have to."

Pikachu scowled, and Ash knew that he was gonna try to stop him, in some way, but Ash couldn't let him. If he didn't get it back, millions would die. Sure, he didn't know how he knew that they got it, but he knew. So, it was simple. Chase after the Jet, and maybe save everyone, or die trying. And frankly, it was an easy choice. WHen compared to the lives of millions, his life was little compared to that. So, as Pikachu opened his mouth to make a comment, he instead shot off after the now distant jet, knocking the mouse backwards.

If they got the Soul Dew, the city would be lost. Everyone in Altomare would die. So, he had to catch up to that jet.

"Ash, come back!"

And, just like many times before, Ash ignored his starter's cry to stay safe, and ran off into danger.

* * *

**A/N There she is!**

**Next one should be up uber quick, like, hopefully tomorrow, because, as I've said, I'm just gonna get past the part that vexes me so, through force, if need-be. So, see ya hopefully in a little bit!**

**=3**


	33. Falls

**A/N So, here it is, after a longer than it should've been week. **

**I really got no escuse that can hold water, so... Eh, here it is! I apologize for the wait.**

* * *

If there was an adjective that could describe Atiae's current mood right now, it would be a mix of extreme worry, sickening fear, and absolute, near uncontrollable **RAGE**.

Whirlwind, against all of her efforts, was in the garden. No, Whirlwind was in _her_ garden. Her sanctuary, her home. The place she met Ash, the place her brother raised her from the day she hatched. The place that held her brother's Soul Dew.

The evil organization that had nearly driven Lati to extinction dared to show it's extremely unwelcome face, and now was here, defiling her sacred home, the last safe place for the Lati.

It was unacceptable, in every sense of the word.

Sure, she had always prepared for this moment, her paranoia and her previous experience in being attacked fueling her plans. But now that it was happening, she couldn't feel any less ready. Her contingencies seemed childish, her plans naive and foolish in the extreme. Any good tactician would've been able to take advantage of her plans, and it was too late to talk to the only truly experienced tactician she knew of, her claimed, to see if there was any glaring holes that she probably missed.

"Milady, we are ready to proceed to the fountain. The path ahead is safe."

Atiae sighed, and gave the Latios that spoke a brisk nod. She vaguely recognized him, a shade that was often used to keep watch over the meetings with the council, but the dragon's name escaped her right now. And, frankly, at this point, she didn't care who he was anyway, as long as he didn't get in her way.

"Very well. Let us go."

She then followed the shade, along with the three council members that remained after the evacuation order she had barked out once she heard the sounds of combat at the fountain.

Merrim, Lorip, and Larry. They had met some resistance, a couple of those supposedly terrifying piloted mechs, but both Lorip, along with herself, had made very short work of them, the machines barely even standing a chance in the face of her fury filled strikes, her shadow-claws ripping through the psychic-hardened machines like paper.

And so, they continued, until they arrived at the fountain, where her worst fears were realized. The place was almost completely destroyed, with several fallen Lati and even more of those human machines scattered around the area, dead and broken.

There was little left, beyond a single heavy mech, attacking a trio of injured Lati with it's minigun, who were cowering behind a barely functioning Protect. And, with them, was Pikachu.

But no Ash.

A bubbling, sick fury quickly rose up in her gut, and, before she knew what she was doing, Atiae lifted a charred and warped husk of one of the larger machines with her psychic, and threw it harshly against the remaining mech. The blow didn't destroy it, but it did knock it over, it's last few shots going wide as it clumsily fell onto it, side. So, she simply proceeded to lift a different, much sharper piece of metal that laid nearby with her psychic once more, and attempted to skewer the machine as it attempted to rise up off the ground, stabbing the sharpened and hardened metal into the machine's torso repeatedly, furiously, until the charred husk of metal finally pierced through the other mech's hard, protective casing. She used this opportunity to rush forward, and shove a shadow-claw into the newly formed hole, giving a furious cry as she gripped the first thing she could find in the roughly hewn hole, and ripped it viciously out.

But, to her disappointment, it wasn't a chunk of the pilot, and instead was simply a part of it's more delicate circuitry, which angered her further. She would not be denied the blood of her opponent.

She was going to find the pilot, and drag them out of the mech, if it was the last thing she'd do.

They would pay for their crimes. They would suffer for every dead Lati that laid in this field, for every dragon that had fallen today.

They'd pay for every dead citizen of Altomare, every orphan that would undoubtedly be made due to the fighting.

Hell, they would pay for every crack in the stone of the damn fountain that held her brother. She descended upon the machine furiously, giving a feral scream as she swung another shadow-claw into the machine torso, hoping to find it's piloting compartment. The swing sundered the already broken armor easily, and she swung a couple more times, for good measure, no longer caring if she got the pilot out alive, and more caring that she destroyed every bit of the machine that she could.

Another swing tore off the arm, and the next sunk into it's leg, forcing it to give a harsh hiss as the delicate, pressurized hydraulics required for the mech to move ruptured, spraying their hydraulic fluid everywhere. She paid neither action any mind, and instead gave a few more swings, before letting lose a furious dragon breath into the torso of the machine, charring the paint of the machine, and weakening the remaining bits of the torso. And, with that, she swung a psycho-cutter into the heart of the machine, and furiously grabbed both sides of the cut with her bare claws, forcing the machine to bare itself in it's entirety.

And immediately found that it was lacking a pilot. At that realization, she let out a furious roar, and grabbed both sides of the machine in her psychic, the anti-psychic machinery in the mech already non-functional, and ripped it viciously in half, barely even noting the deafening screech of ripping titanium as she did so.

And, as a final act, she threw both sides of the machine angrily into each other several times mindlessly, before throwing the remaining chunks wildly, barely noting that the largest hit the barely holding protect, which barely held against the vicious strike, the metal bouncing off and hitting the ground before it before the shield died outright.

But at this point, she couldn't force herself to care. Her previous outlet for her fury wasn't even valid; She didn't even have an opponent. She had been fighting a UMV the entire time, and her outburst was the equivalent of punching a brick wall.

It didn't even make her feel a hint better. If anything, it made her feel even worse.

But that didn't matter. She took a precious second to compartmentalize the anger, the rage and fury, and forced herself to focus on a much more important issues at claw. Ash wasn't here, and she had to find out that he was safe, and that the Soul Dew was still, indeed, in Altomare.

As such, she had to question the survivors. The fact that they were all that was left brought her already horrific mood down even lower.

"Den. Where is the Soul Dew, and where is Ash?"

The injured Lati didn't answer immediately, instead focusing on re-catching her breath while she laid on the ground, much to Atiae's irritation. But, before she could either attempt to rouse the weakened Lati, or question a different dragon, Pikachu decided to speak up.

"Latias, you alright?"

The furious dragoness didn't respond immediately, and instead gave the mouse a furious glare.

"I'll take that as a no..."

It took every ounce of willpower she had no to strangle the mouse. But she needed him. Because, while the started probably had no idea where her guardians whisked the Soul Dew away to, he would definitely know where Ash was.

"Pikachu. **Where. Is. Ash?**"

The mouse gave a huff, and shook his head. "Where do you think he is?"

"Pikachu, I swear by all the stars, if you don't answer my question, I will _kill you._ Now, _where is Ash_?"

The electric type growled at the threat, before answering. "The moron ran off to catch the Soul Dew."

And, like that, Atiae's heart stopped. Ash was gone, and had ran off the recapture the, if she understood correctly, _missing_ Soul Dew.

The Soul Dew that kept the waters at bay.

The Soul Dew that kept Altomare from being under a hundred feet of water.

The Soul Dew that was literally a crystallized form of her brother.

"What?!"

The Lati Princess sat there for a moment, trying to properly regain her balance before she lost control, but inevitably failed, her innate psychic energy letting out a massive pulse, the energy nearly knocking Merrim and the unknown Latios out of the air, and surprising both Lorip and Larry. Her rage, if possible, had peaked, and it took her several moments before she reached a state of basic coherency.

_"Where?"_

Her tone was quiet, yet lethal, but Pikachu was unfazed. "The moron went towards the sun."

Atiae nodded once, her thoughts and emotions in an uproar, and without a single thought, turned to follow in the direction of Ash. But, before she could leave, she was stopped by a claw grabbing on her shoulder, which resulted in the claw getting smacked away by a furious shadow claw, as she turned to destroy whomever made the terrible mistake of attempting to stop her.

"My princess, I beg of you, control yourself."

It was Lorip who sat nearby, his eyes pleading at her to calm down. But, the elder Shade's efforts went unheeded, and all he gained from her was a furious, lethal glare, her claws both wreathed in shadow.

"Princess...as unfortunate as the situation is, chasing after Ash will not help him, nor will it help the herd. All it will do is make you both vulnerable, and alone for an easy capture. No, Milady, we need to evacuate. The matter is completely out of our claws now."

The statement was logical. If the Soul Dew was gone, then there was no real reason to stay. The city was lost, their walls brought down low and their defenses asunder. The fate of the city rested once again on Ash's shoulder's.

She was, once again, completely helpless to protect the city in which was entrusted to her.

The very thought ground against her being, and it was, in a way, horribly humbling. For, yet again, even with all of her training, practice, power and might, she was left sitting on the sidelines, waiting for Ash to save the day.

"No."

And yet, she refused. She couldn't bring herself to leave Altomare. This was her home. She was born here, raised by the humans that lived in this city. She was, as of now, the sole guardian of Altomare, the last remaining Lati in the long line of Altomare's previous guardians. She couldn't leave it, just because there was a chance that the city may be destroyed. If anything, that was even more of a reason to stay.

She would go down with the ship.

"Ash will retrieve the Soul Dew. And I shall wait for him."

Lorip's expression didn't falter, although his feathers did flicker a bit in irritation. "I too have the utmost confidence in your claimed. But, my princess, we cannot stay here. The fate of the city is out of our claws, and if the Soul Dew is out of the range of the city, then we have very little time before the waters return. There is nothing we can do to help it, even if we do stay. And it is my duty to ensure your safety."

Atiae blinked, before looking over to Lorip. "No."

And, at that, the elder Latios released a small, sad sigh. "Sadly, as much as it pains me to say, I do not need your consent."

The strike that hit her immediately after was completely unexpected, as well as the dark typed energy that rushed through her at the blow, forcing the psychic energy that kept her upright to immediately give out. She roughly hit the ground, and, before she could properly determine what was happening, two pairs of arms grabbed her and hoisted her up.

"Hey, let her go!"

The electric type, who had remained quiet up until now, had decided to finally act up, and leapt forward, but was quickly intercepted by Lorip, who blocked the mouse with a psychic pulse.

"I am sorry, Noble mouse, but my duty is to keep the princess safe. And nothing will stand in my way for that, be it you, Ash, or Arceus himself."

Pikachu scowled at the statement, and prepared to force his way through the psychic barrier, but Lorip continued to speak.

"Would you not do the same for your ward, if they insisted on throwing their life away, for no benefit?"

At the statement, Pikachu hesitated. He knew the answer, because there had been many times where Ash had done just that. And Pikachu, every time, had been unable to truly do anything, instead forced to watch on the side lines, as Ash had, yet again, stood up for what he believed in in the most risky, backwards way.

"I, uh..."

"Her safety, in regards to the herd, is paramount. Without a head, the body will die, and as such, I am invoking my right as protectorate of the Princess to keep her safe. Because, regardless of the beliefs of our majesty, there is nothing to gain from remaining here, besides death and ruination."

At this point, Atiae had regained her wits, and began to struggle against the Lati that held her.

"Release me immediately!"

Lorip shook his head in sadness at the exclamation, and sighed. "I am truly sorry, milady. But, it is my Arceus-given duty to keep you safe. And that includes keeping you safe from yourself. Habna, Jin, we're taking her to the main meeting area. I'll keep her energy suppressed."

Atiae tried to struggle, but without her psychic abilities, it was a fruitless effort, the larger males on both sides easily keeping her in check. And that fact, along with the feeling of helplessness, forced her to begin to panic. "Let me go! I command you!"

The shade on the side, Jin, hesitated at the desperation in her tone, but, after a look from Lorip, ignored her.

"Mouse, you are fully welcome to stay, but I would recommend joining us. Regardless of your friend's competency, there is little to gain from remaining. We will know very soon if he is successful in his efforts."

Pikachu took a moment to process the offer, before looking over to Atiae. She was beginning to panic. He took that as a bad sign. He knew what happened when Psychic types panicked, and was forced to make a split-second decision.

He was useless here. However, he could help Atiae, now, which, in the end, would be what Ash would want more than anything right now. For him to stand by a friend. "Uh, alright. I'll join you guys."

The electric type took that moment to hop onto Atiae's back, pointedly ignoring the surprised stares and the outrage the pair of shade's shown towards him as he did so.

"Latias... Ash has this. He'll save the day, just like always, and everything will be alright. We'll probably be back in the city in a hour, at most."

The words did little to calm her, but she did make an effort to nod in agreement.

Ash would fix this. He had to.

* * *

While Ash hadn't been a Skydancer for long, he could safely say that he had never before flown this fast. Nor, even remotely near it, in fact.

The speed was, in a word, blistering. The speed made the very air hurt, and every small gust felt like someone hitting him upside the face wait a brick. At some point, his wings had gone nearly fully back, and frankly, it was incredibly uncomfortable, the joints angrily protesting at the forces that held them backward.

And, not to mention, the cold from the whipping, vicious wind. His feathers felt like they were freezing at the base, and it was a very warm and humid day.

But he didn't care. He _had_ to catch that jet. It had been within sight for a full minute now, the ship shooting through the sky at a similarly blistering pace. And, had they not been going in the opposite direction of Johto, he would've been sure that they would be in Kanto by now, if not past it.

But now... it was almost reach. A couple hundred feet at most, and a little more to the side door. They had to be keeping the Soul Dew in there, and while downing the ship could work, it'd kill all of the passengers. And frankly, even if these guys were evil, he knew that they could be redeemed. So, it sounded better to simply steal the Soul Dew back, and maybe damage the ship enough so it couldn't turn around, and chase him back down.

No one had to die, and the city would still be saved.

He just needed that one last push. But, alas, he wasn't holding back, his desperation and worry shoving any thoughts of self preservation or even logic aside. He was at his limit.

Supposedly.

And, like that, a sudden, very welcome thought came to him. He was putting everything he psychically had into flying, but... what if he used a different source? He knew about aura, and the very basics of using it. Could he... power his flight using that?

It was worth a shot.

And so, Ash made the effort of gathering his aura into a mental pool, and instead changed his focus from flight, to his aura, all while making sure that he didn't careen off into some random direction, or slow down.

And, after a couple of moments, Ash finally got finished.

It was very disappointing. He could feel his aura throughout his body, but this small tidbit? It was minuscule compared to what his body "should" hold. Laughable. Pathetic.

But, it was also all he had. He never learned much about aura, and frankly, he'd be dissipating the aura he did already manage to get if he were to try again.

'Guess I'll make do with what I got.'

So, with little fanfare, he shoved what little energy he had into his wings, and, to his surprise, felt as the air resistance suddenly... stop. And, just as quickly, he shot forward, as if the distant ship had suddenly hit a brick wall midair.

And so, As Ash suddenly found himself about to severely overshoot his target, he did the very first thing that came to mind.

He reached out in complete desperation, and grabbed for the side-door.

The door opened surprisingly easy, probably due to the fact that he was flying hilariously fast past it.

The decompression, however, wasn't nearly as gentle. The door Ash forced open was immediately ripped off of the side of the ship, forcing him to desperately grab the side of the ship's wing instead to keep himself from continuing, and immediately, there was a loud blaring from the jet, as the sudden decompression, a several hundred pound dragon shooting past at hundreds of miles per hour hitting it's wing, along with the newfound surface for the highspeed winds to catch, forced the ship to immediately spin rapidly out of control.

As such, the ship spun sideways rapidly, akin to a Frisbee, before starting to shoot downward towards the water, pulling Ash along with it.

The male dragon barely had enough time to let out a surprised squeal before they hit the hard-as-stone water, which immediately knocked him through a loop. And so, for several seconds, Ash simply held onto the now sinking airship, before finally coming to his senses.

He caught up to the ship. He got to the Soul Dew.

Wherever it was.

Wherever _he_ was.

Ash blinked a couple times as he attempted to regain his wits about him, as well as to clear the debris from his eyes, and, when he finally regained his both his sight and his center of mind, he found that, when the ship hit the water, it didn't really hold up well.

Such as, for example, the wing he was holding onto. It was no longer part of the ship's greater whole, and instead, slowly sinking into what was luckily a shallow part of the ocean. As for the rest of the ship, they were already on the ocean floor, sitting beside a decent sized coral reef. Ash made to move towards it, finding that the water offered considerably more resistance than air, and after a moment, got the the semi-intact hover-jet.

And, upon looking into the passenger area, spotted bits of what _used_ to be the ship's crew.

He couldn't help but stare for a moment, as the realization of what that meant suddenly hit him. He did this. His actions directly led to this. Who knows how many where in there, killed, torn apart viciously the second the water struck them, snuffing their lives in an instant.

'No. Save Altomare first, thinking, later.'

Ash forced himself to look away, and instead, moved closer to the ship to look for something, anything, that could hold the Soul Dew. Which was a broad spectrum of things. The Soul Dew was a small ball the size of the standard poke-ball. They could put that literally anywhere in the ship, which meant that it could also be literally anywhere near the wreckage, as well.

But, he should check the obvious, first.

So, as he peeked around the hull, purposely ignoring the... remains, he found that there wasn't no magnificent case, no magical stand in the center of the jet's passenger bay, which, in all reality, was surprising.

He never met a group that actually managed to be pragmatic about this sort of thing. A object like that was a target.

No, there was little but a couple seats, and a box, welded to the floor.

Box it was.

Ash shot towards the box, and started to feel around in the murky, oil and blood filled water as he tried clumsily to find it's opening mechanism. But, alas, the box was terribly warped from the impact with the water, and after a couple moments of fumbling, Ash found that the handle was ripped clean off of the box.

He'd have to force it.

So, Ash swung a claw down towards the lid with a desperation fueled strike, smashing into it. But, alas, the steel held, and Ash swung again, and again, letting a little more of his anger and fear into each strike, until finally, to his surprise, a shadow-claw formed, denting the flimsy steel in. Ash thanked his luck for a quick moment, before he immediately, almost desperately dug his claws into the newly made space, and wretched the box open, where, just like he had hoped, the Soul Dew sat, surrounded by a now soaked foam inlay.

Without a single thought, he grabbed it into his claws, and maneuvered his way out of the air-ship's passenger area, and shot out of the water. He had to get back to Altomare. Had to. So, he moved to shoot off, before suddenly realizing that he had no idea where he was going.

He was in the middle of the ocean. No landmarks, no giant glowing pillar of light not follow, nor even cloud in the sky to use as a reference point. The young dragon suddenly felt a pang of panic, and tried desperately to recall which direction he had been at least flying, but, alas, he lost what little sense of direction he had before when he hit the water. He was lost, and had no clue.

He let out a furious roar of frustration. Hundreds of thousands, no, millions, were about to die, and they'd all die because he was so** terrible at directions!**

_West._

He didn't know where the semi-formed thought came from, or how it even slipped into his head, but it was far better than what he had before. Ash had to go west. Opposite of the sun.

Hell, he felt that, if he had one of those fancy poke-gears, that it'd tell him the same.

So, he had a heading, and, more importantly, the Soul Dew. He could make it. He had to make it.

He would make it. Things were finally looking up, and, once he got back, they'd drive Whirlwind, Magma, and Aqua off, and everyone would be safe again, like they were supposed to.

Everything would be alright.

With that in mind, Ash shot off in the direction of what he knew to be Altomare, as fast as he could. Time was of the essence.

But, as he flew towards the direction he knew had to be the city, a small, treasonous realization rose to the surface after a couple minutes of flight.

Where was the smoke, the sickening, billowing pillars of smoke from destroyed ships and burning buildings? He couldn't have missed those. They were obvious, and, more importantly, directly over where he was going.

Maybe he was going the wrong way?

He considered the idea, before shooting it down. It _was_ west. There was no denying it.

But still... he could see the smoke of the city from far off when he had been chasing the hover-jet. Hell, he saw it only five minutes ago, before he finally got far enough away to lose sight of it.

Maybe...

Ash shoved that forming idea to the side viciously. No, he just hadn't got in range to see it, yet. But, as he flew for several more moments, the thought arose again.

If there was no smoke, then there was no fire.

No city.

No... Altomare.

The thought persisted for several moments, until suddenly, he caught of whiff of smoke_._ And, like that, he felt relief. He had just misinterpreted how far away he was. Everything was fine.

There was even some smog in the distance.

But, as he flew closer, he found himself confused. Where was Altomare?

He should've been able to see it by now.

Heck, that small, helpful psuedo-GPS that suddenly popped up into his head said he was close.

But, after another moment of flying, looking onto the horizon desperately for the city, he found that, he knew he was there.

At Altomare.

Or, more precisely, the remains of what used to be the city of canals, the greatest city-state in existence.

And, upon that realization, all Ash could do was sit there and float in shock.


	34. Down

**A/N So... I wanted this out like, on New Years, but, alas, It was only at 8k then, and thus, a disappointment. So, I made it bigger. Better. Stronger.**

**It's probably not strong, but, hey, at least it's bigger. **

**Also, I broke 1k on follows! Rejoice! I thought about adding a list of followers, but then I realized what that entailed. So, er, thank you all, so much! I honestly never expected it to get so far, so fast. It's amazing. **

**So, in celebration, I made sure to put everything I had into the chapter. It's probably full of little more than meh, but, hey, I'm a meh kinda guy. XD**

* * *

The city was gone.

The fact was startling enough, once he actually managed to properly wrap his head around it. The last safe haven, the "chosen land" of the Lati, the supposed safe zone in which the less cruel vestiges of humanity had "graciously" set aside for the Eon Dragons, was currently little more than sunken stone and wood, a courtyard of death and ash. The Lati were, once again, homeless, and millions of humans, dead, swept away by the cruel and merciless waters of Kyogre.

And, as if that weren't cruel enough, that wasn't the only thing the loss of the Soul Dew took from them. After all, there was the Princess herself to think about, the Princess who cared for little beyond the city and it's people. So, the loss of the Soul Dew and the city meant that, in a way, the herd was somewhat leaderless as well, seeing as the Princess was entirely determined to, in a rash, spur of the moment decision, abandon the herd and instead return to the city, regardless of the consequences, or even her duties as the Herd's Alpha.

The Latios growled lightly at the thought, before shaking his head, before moving once again towards the herd. It took a couple moments to pass through the trees and foliage, but after a couple seconds, he found himself wandering back to where the majority of the herd sat. His small jaunt had been ultimately useless. It offered no peace of mind, nor any newfound understanding. Instead, it simply allowed him to focus more on how poor their situation currently was.

The indomitable, unwavering Princess of the Lati, was currently knocked completely off balance, unable to properly react, as one would be expected to, in her position, because a small, glowing gem was stole, and that her precious "claimed" was missing in the pursuit of it.

That fact sickened the Latios much more than he thought possible. The most promising, the most powerful of Lati currently known, was currently a cowering, simpering waif, because her city and "love" was gone.

And so, Merrim could only sit in place in supreme irritation, silently watching from the side as, instead of the normally cool, collected, and wise Latias that would be expected lead the helm, instead was replaced by the doddering, seemingly senile Lorip as he took up the reins and issued commands to the few remaining council members.

Sure, the ancient lati _was_ the Princess' protectorate, and, when it came to the normal duties of the job, she wasn't completely wrong to chose him. The elder Latios wasn't simply loyal, he was fanatical. He was supposedly the first to arrive at Altomare and find her, and, if what he always said was to be believed, he would be the last to leave her as well. But that changed nothing.

After all, he _himself_ was here. He was completely capable of leading the herd while the Princess recovered from such a... egregious loss. He was a capable leader, and he had years, nay, _decades_ of experience in leading Lati. Sure, his experience was with a large pack, but he was experienced, able,, and entirely willing.

He would be able to guide and protect the herd considerably better than a "Shade" ever could. And he could do it while the Princess regained her balance and recovered from the death of so many loved ones.

But no. That wasn't his place, regardless of how "deserving" he was of the job. No, the leadership currently was supposed to fall not to him. Nor, in a technically sense, was it even supposed to go to Lorip.

No, the truth couldn't be any more cruel. Because, instead of a capable, strong, proper Latios, or even a fanatical and loyal elder, her spot was supposed to fall to that damned-able, weak Sky-Dancer, the human raised and culture blind Latios who was probably a large reason as to why their cold, powerful, intelligent leader was currently an unstable, erratic husk of her former self. It was only complete luck that he was one of those among the missing. At least Lorip, as ancient and doddering as he was, knew their ways and how to deal with the herd, if only to a point.

So, luck was, in a way, on their side, still. Instead of a weak, ineffectual Human-born, they instead got the Princess' personally chosen, non-romantic second.

But, even if Lorip was the lesser of the two evils, there was still that small part of him, the part that was used to the pack mentality of his race, that screamed that, regardless of her situation, the Princess was still supposed to be in charge.

Watching another that was not her lead was, in a way, sickening, on a moral level.

But, in the end, logic overruled him. She was important, far more important than anyone would willing admit, especially him. She was a symbol at this point, a icon that represented what their kind was. Unbreakable, indomitable. She was, in his mind, what every Lati should aspire to be.

Sure, she was a hint younger than someone that would be in her position would be expected to be, and she had an emotional streak a mile long, even if it was hidden by her veneer of apathy. But, that was her way, and so far, she had proven that her way worked. And her youth was, if anything, a sign to prove how capable she truly was. If she could lead a herd and become a Princess at twenty five, what else could she accomplish?

And, as for her emotional streak, it worked. Her way was a mix of pure charisma and the way of claw and fang, and if anyone truly had an issue, she would simply put them in their place, be it through raw psychic might, or with her silver tongue. And, it worked. It was her way that kept the multiple "clan" leaders in line, without her giving an inch. It was her way that evoked such unfaltering loyalty from the vast majority of the herd, to the point of the majority of the herd forsaking the alphas that lead them originally, and instead, following her blindly.

And it was her way that got everyone out of the city safely, even if she didn't want to join them in the end. But, by successful enacting her emergency plans, the plans most said were little more than paranoia, she had proven herself even more valuable than ever before, with almost every Lati that resided inside that city currently safe and sound, with only a few major injuries and deaths. So, she had proven, again, that she was invaluable.

Which was why the thought that was rolling around in his head was so... deplorable.

"Hern, Jas. Do you two trust me?"

The two fellow ferals that been flanking him for the past hour both nodded in unison, their expressions grim. They were his most trusted compatriots, two like minded allies that, like him, would do anything to ensure the preservation of their kind.

"Very well. Follow me."

Merrim knew exactly what he was doing, and frankly, he was sure his accompaniment did as well. Sure, it was a spur of the moment decision, but it was a logical one. Even if it was, in a way, considered the highest of betrayals, and, if he got caught, he'd be known as a bond breaker, a legendary betrayer that would be cursed throughout the annuals of time by their kind, and by those who came after.

But, that was only the smallest of hindrances, and it didn't even make him feel the slightest hint of hesitance. If he succeeded without being caught, he'd be in the proper place to help his people truly ascend to where they belonged, by the Princess' side.

But, if, by some chance, he either failed, or got caught...

His life for his species. It was a easy choice to make.

He didn't bother to ensure that they were following him. He trusted that they would fall in line. So, instead, he turned to fly towards the ruins of what was Altomare, trying to ignore the pang in his gut at his and his herd's failures as he and his partners lifted into the sky and flew towards their destination. In all honesty, regardless of his opinion on humans, he would admit that he was going to miss the city, and, in a way, it's people. There had been a few... acceptable humans there.

Not enough to redeem their kind, but enough to lament their loss.

And so, he, along with the other two ferals, flew towards the city without a shred of hesitance. He knew what he was searching for, and the only thing he had to determine was what he would do when he found it. This was a spur of the moment action, after all. But he, along with his compatriots, knew most likely how this was going to end.

* * *

The flight had been silent, the two Lati following him instead using their time to ensure that their claws were sharp, and that their limbs were properly stretched and ready for any and all fighting.

And, after a quarter hour of flight, of preparing and waiting, of passing over the oceans and coral reefs that made the area around Altomare so beautiful, they had arrived at what used to be the city. The smoke had since cleared, the fires causing them extinguished by the waters, and all that remained was some floating remains of both people and homes, and little else. The water here was murky and brown, filled with silt, dirt, and ruination, and yet, he could feel the psychic signature of the dragon.

So, he was within the city. That solved one problem.

Now, all they would have to do was hunt down the blasted Sky-Dancer, if the foolish dragon was even still alive. The male's arrival was as poorly timed as it could be, both at the time and now, and he had to have arrived but a couple days before the fall of the last bastion of Lati-kind. Had the Lati arrived but a week later, the city would have still fallen, but it wouldn't be a complete loss. Merrim could've used the fall to cement his relationship with the princess.

It wouldn't be a relationship of love, but of pragmatism. A strong couple was needed to lead the last of their kind. And he was sure that he was the male that could do it. In fact, he still could. All he had to do was remove the male that currently took up that spot. The Princess would be distraught, sure, but she would see reason in the end. She needed him, as much as the herd needed her.

So, all the feral had to do was locate the male that dared capture the Princess' attention, or find proof of his death. It was entirely possible that the male had fled, and that he was simply feeling the remains of his energy before he did so, but he doubted it. The Princess might have thought purely with her heart when it came to her choosing of a future mate, but she would never fall for a coward.

Now, wherever could he be? It wasn't as if there was a city for him to hide into-

Merrim froze in place as the subject of his search, Aps, or whatever his name was, was spotted, dead ahead. He was but a couple hundred feet away, above the city's remains. He was also completely still, the male seemingly unknowing of anything around him. For a moment, Merrim hesitated, thinking that, perhaps, the Latios was using his mind to search throughout the city's remains for survivors, or something to that nature. But, that idea was folly, if only because, the dragon's psychic signature was so ludicrously weak. He had to be barely managing to float with what he was using.

So, no. That idea didn't fit, unless the Dragon was part shade, and capable of hiding his output so expertly. So, what was he doing?

Merrim sat there for a moment, gauging his newfound opponent, until the truth finally hit him.

The dragon was simply in shock. The male actually was surprised at the fact that so many had died.

He actually didn't know how to handle that. It was almost... funny. This Lati was actually surprised that Whirlwind destroyed the city. Merrim rolled the idea around in his head for a moment, before forcing down a laugh. Merrim himself had seen seven separate herds die, Herds that he had led, all due to either Whirlwind's hunts, or at Aqua and Magma's "mercy". And here was a Latios who found such acts of cruelty surprising.

_Shocking._

**_Terrifying._**

When he left the herd to hunt down the male, it had been simple pragmatism. He removed a opponent, the Princess would be once again on the "market" as it were, and she would no longer be shackled by such a heavy weight to carry. But now? He could actually see his appeal to her. He could genuinely, completely understand. The male was, somehow, someway, genuinely and entirely, an innocent soul. Heart pure and kind, mind trusting and loving. He was what Lati should be, in a perfect world.

But that didn't change his intent. But, it did change his feelings on the matter. Now, instead of just removing an opponent, he was actually preforming a mercy. That sort of innocence would be murdered soon enough, the callousness of the world crushing it under the weight of it's hatred.

It was a kindness to snuff it out now, to let such innocence remain unspoiled, rather then let that sort of kindness, that sort of love find itself brutalized.

And, what was even better, it would be easy. Regardless of how skilled the sky-Dancer might actually be, he was currently lost to his grief and shock; he didn't even know they were there. He had left the coast of Johto expecting a fight, possibly one that he might lose, seeing as the dragon _was_ a human raised-and-trained war machine, regardless of how naive the dragon was. But, instead of some epic fight that proved he was the Princess' rightful partner, he instead got it handed to him on a golden platter.

Merrim smirked, and shook his head in amused exasperation.

"We came, expecting a fight, but instead, all we find is an easy kill."

The words were soft, gentle, but it didn't matter. The dragon was still too lost in his grief. And so, Merrim stretched his claws out, and gestured for his partners to stay back, to which they nodded in agreement. This was his kill, and the death of the Princess' claimed would be on his shoulders alone. And, with that in mind, Merrim moved forward, and prepared to strike, silently moving behind the Lati. He would make it clean, and painless. He could do that much.

But, before Merrim could properly make the strike, he spotted what the male was carrying, the male's limp arm at his side, a human fashioned device on the upper arm, and... _it_ in his claws. The sight actually made Merrim freeze in sheer, utter shock.

He actually managed it.

The damned bird actually got the Soul Dew back.

And, just like that, Merrim felt his determination and resolve falter, and he couldn't help but pull his claws back in hesitation. The male was the Princess' weak spot, a weak spot that he had to remove. He had seen how she had behaved once the male had arrived. She went from hyper-focused, dedicated, intelligent, solely living for the herd, and... **_cold_**, to putting her entire thoughts, hopes, and feelings into the unknown, seemingly weak male. To suddenly emoting herself on a regular basis, beyond when she was angry.

Logically, if he were to die, her focus would go back to the herd. Her icy veneer would be back upon her, and he would have a genuine chance at getting into her graces once again, and, maybe, even get into her nest. Alone, the Princess was a brilliant leader, but, with him, they could achieve much greater. But... the male actually managed to _succeed_. He got the Soul Dew back from Whirlwind. Completely by himself. Something that, as far as he knew, had never happened before. He actually did his _duty_ as a Lati, as well as fulfill what was expected of him as the Princess' claimed, and do the impossible.

But, on the other claw...

This was still his big chance. If he were to finish off the male, he would be the next option. And, if he got creative, he could even claim the glory of returning the Soul Dew. He would be the great hero. He would be the powerful savior, and he would gain the Princess' favor, all at once.

The male would die, the greatest weakness of the Princess would be removed, and he would be in a position to replace the male, returning the Princess' brother's Soul Dew to her. He could take his place at her side, and guide her to her destiny. And it would be so easy, Regardless of the male's skills and powers. The damned Latios didn't even know they were here, instead caught up in his own grief and shock. A child could remove him right now.

All it would take is just a slip of the claw.

Merrim started to move forward once more, but, before he could fully prepare a killing blow, he stopped, and clenched his claw, holding it in place, weakly.

He was planning on killing the Lati's savior, and adding his corpse atop the pile of those who had already died today. He was going to add to the mountain of death and cruelty that today had already wrought, and waste not only a life, but the life of someone who had risked his own soul to save the Lati race, and actually succeeded.

Regardless of how the male hindered the Princess, it wasn't right.

He deserved to have a proper fight, at the very least. He deserved to look his killers in the eyes, as they did the deed.

"Milord, Thank Arceus that you are unharmed. At least... physically."

The sound of the voice was completely unexpected, but also, terrifying, forcing Merrim's heart skipped several beats.

Lorip.

He had been followed.

He could barely bring himself to turn around to look the elder Shade in the eye, but as he did so, a claw grabbed his outstretched one and held it roughly in place. And, connected to the arm, was Lorip. And, behind him was two Shades, a pair of Latias, their claws covered in blood. His compatriots were nowhere to be seen, but it didn't take a genius to figure out where they were. He even gave a glance downward towards the ocean in a tiny moment of mourning.

They died, following him. For no reason. And frankly, he should've known that this would happen. He was on thin ice with the Princess, and, as such, with Lorip as it was. Suddenly up and leaving would've been extremely noticeable, especially if he left with others.

"...Lorip?"

The Sky-Dancer's voice was filled with a weak, tired sorrow. It was dead, hollow, and frankly, close to tears, which, had he not been so shocked at Lorip's sudden appearance, would've irritated Merrim to no end.

Such innocence belonged nowhere near the Princess, at least, not in these times. It would only hold her back, regardless of the Young male's skill set. They needed the Princess of Ice, not some defrosted girl with nothing but love in her eyes.

But, that sentiment was not shared by the elder shade, who instead gave a deep, reverent bow. "Of course, Master Ash. We've come to retrieve you, and frankly, we are truly lucky to have found you so quickly."

The Latios then looked down to the ocean, with a sad frown. "Such death, such cruelty, such... selfishness. All for no reason beyond personal gain. It's truly sickening."

Lorip shook his head, before letting out a sigh. "But, as heart-wrenching and tragic as this loss of life is, the area is still not safe, and remaining here will not bring those that are lost to us back. No, the only way we can properly honor their deaths now, is by keeping the Soul Dew, the object they all died for, away from those who committed such atrocities for it. As such, we must return you, along with the Soul Dew, to the herd as soon as possible."

Ash gave a simply, weak nod, and Lorip looked over to Merrim.

"We will make sure those who commit such... selfish acts are punished as they deserve to be. And, thank you, Sir Merrim, for locating the Princess' claimed."

Merrim could tell by the tone that the elder Latios was mocking him, and he knew that this wasn't even remotely over.

"O-of Course. It is my duty to serve the Princess."

The elder shade just stared for a moment, but, instead of nodding, he instead shook his head, and let go of the held claw. "Incorrect. It is our duty to serve the Princess _and_ her future mate. And, I am glad that Master Ash has proven himself in such a grandiose fashion, even if the circumstances in which it occurred are mired in such a horrible tragedy."

All Merrim could do was nod in agreement, the shock having yet to properly wear off.

"Now, let us go. Please, if you would, follow me, Master Ash. The Princess would have my wings if I didn't guarantee your safety personally."

The Sky Dancer took one last look towards the remains of the city, glancing upon the waters and murky, mud filled seas one last time, before falling in line, and Merrim found himself doing the same, with the only difference being that he immediately found himself flanked by a pair of Shades as they flew in silence, their cold, even glares scathing him the entire flight. The female's expressions made it obvious that they would show no mercy, if he were to try remotely anything.

And so, they flew. The trip was only 20 minutes, the group moving with both less purpose, and considerably more caution, than Merrim did originally, but even though the trip was short, it was the most agonizing flight he had ever flown.

But, once they got to their destination, Lorip looked Merrim in the eye, a soft, gentle smile on his face that he didn't buy for a second. "I apologize for leaving you so suddenly, Sir Ash, But I have something truly important to discuss with Merrim, here. I beg your leave."

Ash simply nodded, and Lorip gave a deep bow. "Thank you, Milord. Now, Merrim, We have something to discuss. Habni, please bring Prince Ash to our Princess. She will be, without a doubt, most relieved upon learning of both his, and the Soul Dew's, safety."

Another shade appeared from beside Lorip, and redirected the sorrowful, still shocked Ash away, while Merrim followed Lorip along with the two other shades. They flew along the coast, passing trees, dunes, and even a human house or two as they flew for a minute or so, but as they did such, the elder shade said nothing, instead opting to look forward coldly the entire time.

But, after another moment, they stopped, and Lorip turned around to look Merrim in the face for a moment, as if trying to judge a piece of meat to see as if it was rotten. And, as he did so, The ancient Latios remained silent, as if content with merely observing the feral, before two pairs of arms grabbed Merrim's own at the shoulder, holding him in place, while, at the same time, the unwelcome feeling of dark-typed energy rushed through him, killing his psychic abilities.

Those things didn't truly surprise him. Shades were the "Inquisitors" of the Lati herds, after all. It was their job to keep rule breakers in line, and remove threats to the herd. So, no, the sudden apprehension they gave him wasn't surprising. No, it was the strength of the backhand the elder Latios gave him that actually shocked him, as well as the blistering speed in which Lorip did it.

He didn't think the elder Latios had it in him.

"There are very few things that truly anger me, Merrim. Cruelty, abuse, cold-blooded murder. But, leaving your post, without leave, to try and assassinate the Princess' claimed so, if my guess is correct, you could have her yourself, is not something that merely angers me. No, that is something that makes me absolutely, positively, egregiously **livid**."

Lorip then sighed in supreme irritation, before giving Merrim a heavy glower as the male tried to regain his wits. "I should kill you, you know. The Princess has entrusted the duty of both her, and her claimed's well being in my claws. And I am completely within my right to kill you, right here, right now. I wouldn't even need to beg the permission of the Princess, as it is also my duty to... remove those who threaten her and her mate. And it'd be easy. All it would take to kill a traitor such as you would be... how did you always put it? Ah, yes, "A quick rake of the claws, and you'd drown in your own blood."

Merrim froze at the wording.

He always did say that, didn't he?

"But... as much as your selfish, callous, and outrageous plans make me wish to have you dipped in a pit of ravenous Joltik, I cannot. For you still have some worth to me. No, I'm truly sorry, that implies that I want you for my own ends. No, You are worth so much more to the Princess, and, more importantly, you are worth so much more to her mate. Her innocent, kind, powerful, brilliant, and completely culture-blind mate. And as such, I cannot kill you. Not yet."

The feral tried to give a squirm, but the two Shades that held him didn't falter, and held him fast, the pair of Latias even going as far as to dig their claws into his sides to hold him. "You know as well as I do that, regardless of the herd's loyalty to the Princess, each... Race still has it's own representatives."

Oh, Arceus, he was gonna lecture him.

"I, the Shades, Den, the Current Chasers, Rary, the Empaths and the other, smaller sects and mixed-breed Lati. The Princess herself hold's the Changeling's complete, unfaltering support. But you, dear boy, have the Ferals."

Merrim blinked in confusion as he tried again to struggle, but he was put down by another jolt of dark-typed energy. "Now, As you could probably recall, the Princess is currently... unable to hold her position, as her emotional state is rather erratic at the current time. Her home has been destroyed, her family killed, and all of those who grew up alongside her perished alongside the city. She will be relieved of her duties until I personally say that she is ready to reclaim her throne. And so, once we get a proper headcount, there will be a vote for who will hold her position in her stead, while she is allowed to grieve. By nature, it'd go to her future mate."

"But, he is not one of us, and regardless of our trust in the princess, many will object to his highness being put in charge. Even though he has reclaimed the Soul Dew, that only proves himself skilled, not a leader. But, I can see the trappings of greatness, of a King, in him. So, I propose a trade. I let you live, even though, by any normal logic known to this world, you'd be dead by now, and, in return, you will support Ash in all of his efforts."

The Feral didn't really have a response.

"If he needs someone to talk to, you'll be there, offering him a pecha berry and a claw to support him. If someone speaks out against him, you'll talk in his defense, telling them how foolishly wrong they truly are. You will support and assist anyway you can, and, in exchange, I won't tell the Princess what you intended on doing to her claimed."

Merrim grimaced, both from the rough handling, and the situation. He was quite literally dead-to-rights. All it'd take would be some sight-sharing, and he'd be known as the Latios who tried to assassinate the Princess' claimed and steal the Soul Dew, after the last safe haven they had was stolen. He'd be the greatest betrayer and attempted kin-slayer to Lati kind since Rikenam.

It wasn't even a choice.

"I... will support the Princess' claimed."

Lorip nodded briskly at that. "Good. Now, Jin and Laimi will be your... supervisors. I trust that you understand what that truly means."

Merrim scowled inwardly, but gave a singular nod. He had no doubt that they would end him without hesitation, if he even thought about breaking the rules, or harming the "Prince".

But, before Merrim could say anything, or add to the situation, a Latios flew up in a panic.

"Sir Lorip! The Princess, she escaped, and is returning to the city!"

* * *

This couldn't be it.

The thought rang through her head as she sat above the still rippling waters, her eyes scanning over the flotsam and wood that managed to make it to the surface, after the massive wave.

Escaping hadn't been hard. A flick of her back had removed Pikachu, and a fake, but seemingly calm demeanor had distracted her watchers. all it took after that was a quickly made illusion, and a quick jaunt while invisible, and she was homefree.

But, instead of a victorious Ash, or a city at war, she found... water.

This couldn't be Altomare. It just couldn't.

The city of Altomare was a brilliant, beautiful, vibrant city, full of loving, peaceful people. The canals, one of the biggest signature features of the city, were commonly used for travel and sport, and the people themselves walked the streets everyday, going to and fro, giving the already breath-taking city it's famous pulse and soul.

Altomare was the biggest, most successful and beautiful city-state in the world. It was the envy of the other nations, the gleaming jewel that sat alone, proud, for the world to see. And, as Atiae dipped her claw into the still agitated, murky waters, she couldn't help but note mindlessly that it was currently under a couple hundred feet of water, the streets and canals that she held such pride in at the bottom of the ocean, instead sitting above, in their rightful places.

The people that resided in the city, all gone, either now sitting at the newly redefined seabed, or whisked away by the tsunami, to be deposited elsewhere.

That fact didn't... work.

She made several quick, calming breaths to allow herself to find her center, before making a couple instinctive passes over where the city was, looking for someone, anyone, but, alas, she came up short. But, even after each failed pass, she couldn't bring herself to feel any disappointment. No, she didn't feel sorrow, she didn't feel rage, she didn't feel... anything, at this point. She tried to comprehend what this meant, what it implied to her, but nothing stuck. She was Atiae, guardian of Altomare, and... the city was underwater.

At the thought, she took a quick dive into the ocean, and did another quick scan. The massive amount of water didn't leave much of the city intact, and frankly, she didn't recognize anything in particular, Any notable landmarks swept away by the raging tides. But still, she swam closer, mindlessly passing a few former citizens of the city as she went on, until she came to the sea floor.

Nope, no survivors, nor anything she recognized here. Nothing but small amounts of rubble, a couple hundred corpses, and the hull of what used to be a Unovian Aircraft Carrier, it's hull telling her it's journey _through_ the city itself. She even let out a psychic pulse, albeit a small one, trading safety and stealth for the possibility of finding someone, anyone, that was still alive.

But, she found nothing.

The Latias tried to wrap her mind around it again, but she couldn't. She was alive, the sun was out, and Altomare was underwater. It didn't make sense, it was like someone had told her that the sun was currently purple. It didn't compute, and yet, when she looked up, there it was. Purple and shining. So, she continued to swim on, passing by the Aircraft carrier as she did so, and moved further into what should've been the city.

And, as she did so, she tried to comprehend the current situation. She obviously couldn't handle the concept as a whole, so, she would have to try another angle. She would just do it, piece by piece.

Might as well start with the basics.

The first part was that, well, the city, itself was completely underwater. That fact was clear as day, seeing as she was currently swimming though it. But that, in itself, was fine. She could swim pretty well. She could even hold her breath for at least an hour. It would make patrolling the streets a pain, though, seeing as she'd have to make multiple trips to the surface. But, ultimately, that was doable. And, heck, it'd make hunting a lot easier, seeing as she would be able to hunt as she patrolled.

She mentally took a quick tally of her surroundings, and, sure enough, there was several Magikarp and even a few Goldeen nearby, the brave few that dared enter the new, unclaimed seabed first. The amount she'd seen so far would easily be enough to feed her, and, once the rest of the ocean caught on, the place would be a hotbed for water-types, with plenty of new places to hunt, eat, and sleep. She'd have the pick of the litter, as it were. So, as far as food went, she was golden.

So, onto the next part. The buildings, and the untold damage that had been done to them when all the water that was held back suddenly surged back to where it was supposed to be, no longer held back by the power of the Soul Dew.

To be completely, utterly frank, the place was a horrible mess. And that one was not something she could fix. She would be the very first to admit that she knew absolutely nothing about construction, and thus, would be of limited use when it came to rebuilding the city, but that implied that the city was above water, and thus, repairable. But no, the city was completely submerged.

Even if she knew how to fix things, the ocean would just reclaim them, the tides and water destroying the wood, plaster, and paint. Even the stones would eventually erode away, which meant that, as much as she wanted, fixing the city was a futile gesture. And so, with that in mind, she swam further in, mindlessly, before finally coming across something she recognized.

It wasn't much, but it was something. A small piece of graffiti, made by some kid years, if not decades ago. But, it was one of the unchanging pieces of the city, and it had sat up against the museum for longer than she could remember. So, She was at the Museum. The place held both happy and sad memories for her, and more importantly, the DMA.

Which was meant to save the city.

Which was a tool used by some corrupt people, to take her brother away.

A tool that, in the end, never fulfilled it's purpose. Ironic.

All that power, and it couldn't protect the one thing it was made to safeguard.

With that in mind, Atiae swam around the area for a moment, looking for an entrance to the Museum. She had to see the damned-able device, if only to spite it. It killed her brother, in a way, and so, she wanted to see it's dead, broken corpse.

In the end, it took four minutes of mindless, blank searching, before she finally found a doorway that both fit her, and wasn't completely collapsed. It lead through a couple hallways, but she knew where she was going, and as such, went straight for the museum center.

The room was surprisingly clean, she noted as she swam in. There wasn't a ton of rubble, nor much debris, and the water was clear of even silt, making the sight even easier to discern.

This was where Magma set up shop. There was dozens of magma members strewn about, all obviously dead, and the machine was swept to the side of the room by the waters. And, it made sense, tactically. This was where they could basically lock up the Soul Dew safely, all while taking control of the entire city, irrevocably. Why fight an army, when you can make the very ocean, the city itself, do it for you?

She was brought out of her thoughts by a rumble, and found that the section she was in was beginning to collapse. So, Atiae turned back around, and left the way she came. And, barely a moment after she exited the final hallway, the side of the building collapsed, sending up a massive cloud of silt and debris.

Now thoroughly blinded, Atiae made a psychic pulse, to feel her way out of the area. But, to her surprise, instead of feeling little more than death and ruin, she felt... life.

A single life, to be exact. It was weak, true, and it was small, but it was definitely human. A small bubble of hope grew in her chest, and without a single thought, she shot in the direction of where she sensed the source.

There was one last part to Altomare, and it was the most important one. The people.

And, if she could save even one of them, she would do just about anything.

So, she sent out another psychic pulse, not caring if anyone or anything was listening for them, and redirected herself towards the life source. It was getting weaker. She had to hurry.

It only took her a moment of searching, but once she did, she spotted it. A small human inside one of the few cars of Altomare, the car itself laying in what used to be a canal, sitting on it's side. Atiae had no idea how the car got this far into the city, nor did she know how it was so intact, but she didn't care. It saved the human well enough.

So, she rushed over to the car, and peered inside. And, laying in the back seat, was a smaller human. There was blood on their face, and there was water in the car, but, for whatever reason, the car had held some air inside, allowing the human to live.

But, regardless, They were unconscious. It took her barely a moment of pondering how she should continue, before letting out another pulse. Regardless of what she did, she had to hurry, as the human was still dying. So, in a split second decision, she simply shot over to the vehicle, and wretched the door open. The newly released air pushed past her, and she dived into the vehicle and scooped the human up, before shooting towards the surface. It was but a second before she broke the surface of the water, but once she did, she gave the small human in her arms a quick once over.

The kid had seen better days. She had a nasty gash on her head, as well as a massive lump at the same area. Atiae gave another psychic pulse, but, to her dismay, the child was still dying.

They were breathing, and they weren't bleeding, at least as far as she could see, so why were they dying?

It took her a second of looking over the child another time to realize the problem. They weren't bleeding externally, but... what about internally?

And, they had some severe head injuries. It didn't take a scientist to put two and two together. And so, Atiae desperately attempted to bridge minds with the human. She needed to know whether to either take her to an empath, or shoot her straight to a human city, and time was of the essence.

It took her a few attempts, her desperation, and lack of experience with humans hindering her efforts, but once she succeeded, she froze in place.

She wasn't finding anything.

It took her a moment to get over her shock, before she realized what the meant. The human was brain-dead. There wasn't anything to save in the first place, and whatever made the human what she was when she had lived had already passed on.

She was dead already, her body just didn't know it yet. She was, in a way, as dead as the rest of Altomare.

Just like all of the dead, drowned people that used to reside in her city.

Atiae slowly registered this fact for a moment, before bringing the body closer to her chest, and, without any preamble, let out a single sob.

All of the dead, drowned people, who all had depended on her to keep the water at bay, to keep the city safe and sound. Who were currently sitting at the bottom of the ocean, soon to be feeding the local Magikarp, goldeen, and Gyarados, instead of fishing for them, like they were supposed to do.

She would never serve them again. She would never go on a patrol, and swim past the Lati-fountain. She would never walk though the streets and watch her people as they went about their lives. She would never stop another criminal, or help track down a murderer.

She let out another sob, and hugged the dying body closer. She didn't have to worry about crime, seeing as all the criminals were dead.

Or, have to worry about kidnappings, because all if the kids were dead.

Or, worry about the homeless, because the homeless were all dead.

They were all dead.

_They were all dead._

She didn't have to be the guardian of Altomare anymore, because **_they were all dead._**

**_Everyone was dead._**

The shop keepers, the teachers, the children, Mario, the bankers, the old lady who went to her fountain every Sunday and thanked her statue for keeping the city safe, they were all dead.

She completely, entirely blew it. She screwed it up beyond comprehension. The people of Altomare, the people of the greatest city in the world, they all put their hopes, dreams, worries and concerns in her claws. They all depended on her to safeguard them, and ensure that they lived safe, meaningful lives. And she let every single one of them down.

She completely, utterly, entirely_ fucked it up._

Atiae made a couple, desperate gasps, feeling her head lighten a bit.

Jacy, the kind waitress who always snuck her an extra serving of bread sticks, was dead.

Mario, the nice old chef who always made sure to keep a spot open for her, died.

Bianca, the sister she never had, the one who had been with her her entire life, drowned, all because she couldn't do her damn job.

The world...

The weight of her colossal failure hit her like the waters that hit Altomare, and she let out the air in her lungs out of reflex in the form of another sob as she pulled the body even closer.

What did Altomare do to earn such a punishment? Altomare was a peaceful port-city, and it was destroyed for it's troubles. All because they housed a dying species. They were destroyed for their kindness, because a group of monsters desired the Soul Dew.

The Lati were without a home, the Garden was under an literal ocean's worth of water, her brother's fountain was most likely little more than rubble, all because Rayquaza gave the Lati the duty of protecting his elemental Spheres.

Her herd was now homeless, and her people were all dead. Millions dead, all resting at the bottom of a cold and uncaring ocean.

And her brother's Soul Dew was most likely in the hands of Whirlwind. Along with the rest of them.

And Ash had run off to try and stop them.

The thought hit her almost as hard of the realization that Altomare was truly gone. Ash went to stop them, and failed. He failed, just like she did.

Atiae shoved that thought away as roughly as she could, trying instead for another set of deep, calming breaths.

Ash didn't fail, she did. He just couldn't pick up her slack. Her claimed was unable to fix her biggest, most impressive Fuck-up to date. Not even Ash, the one who had saved the world more times than she could count, was able to keep her from failing. Her screw up was beyond even the chosen one's abilities to fix.

But, if he didn't succeed... where was he?

The logical answer was as cruel as the loss of Altomare. If he didn't make it back, that means that, in the end, he was _unable_ to return. Ash, her claimed, her love, was dead. She killed her claimed, just because she couldn't protect the easiest and most precious item in the world from the metaphorical equivalent of a rampaging Taros running down the street, seen and heard from a mile away.

And, with that in mind, she pulled the body closer, and held it tighter. But, instead of it being out of purely sorrow, there was also a small amount of rage and fury held inside of the act, as well.

That thought mocked her. She had so many options. She could've went to the humans, gave them the Soul Dew to keep safe. She could've gave it to Ash, who would've simply played the world's most epic game of keep-away, who could've easily avoided the fastest of Whirlwind ships. But, instead, she told everyone to keep it in the most obvious place, and watch it. Keep it where she knew where it was, where everyone knew where it was, instead of taking the risk that her Brother's Soul Dew could've been corrupted, and lost.

The Soul Dew wasn't irreplaceable. She knew this, and knew that if it was lost, she could've just replaced it with herself, or even with another Lati, who was willing to save the city. But, instead, she let her nostalgia get the better of her, and risked it all. She allowed it to be stolen, instead of letting it be lost to time.

Ash died, trying his hardest, because she couldn't manage to do her job, like her brother did. Like her brother could've, had he still been here.

Atiae growled lightly at the thought, as the thought forced her from sorrow and shock, to rage.

No. She had mourned enough when her brother died. If there was one thing that she learned through those years of loneliness and pain, it was that she couldn't give up. She was not her brother, who would simply smile, and die in the pursuit of what he thought was right. She was not the type to martyr herself to fix things. She had failed. She was a colossal screw up. But she knew that, while she was a failure at many things, she was not, and would never be, weak.

She wouldn't just sit here and mope. Instead of feeling sad, she would be furious. How dare Whirlwind destroy a city, just so they can get what they wanted? How dare they kill millions, kill her love, just for some greedy, selfish reason?

She may have failed, but she was not the one to blame for Altomare's destruction. Whirlwind was. And they wouldn't just pay for it. They would bleed for it. She would not be satisfied until every last member of Whirlwind was not just dead, but tormented for their part in the deaths of so many.

And the thought that Ash was dead, because of her, made her gut roil with countless waves of pure, sickening sorrow and rage. He was dead, because of herself, and because of Whirlwind. And while she couldn't absolve her own sins, she could ensure that Whirlwind paid for theirs.

She would ensure that their deaths made Altomare's look like a merciful act of a truly kind god.

And so, As Atiae sat in the middle of the ruins of the sunken city, holding the now dead body of the last living resident of Altomare, she found her resolution. She would ensure that Whirlwind would _burn_.

And, like that, a switch was flipped. She didn't feel sorrow for the loss of Ash, or the city, or even her brother. She simply felt a unending, pure, and overwhelming surge of **_hate._**

She held the body tight, and let out a deep roar of anger, before letting out a single, massive psychic pulse.

If there was still Whirlwind, Aqua, or Magma nearby, well... Let them come. She would destroy any who dared. If they wanted to kill so many, then she would kill every single one of them. Their blood would not sate her until every last member of every last group was dead.

It took her a moment to fully calm down, but once she did, she looked down to the now cooling corpse. She had truly and finally passed. And would not be forgotten.

In fact...

Atiae stared at the body for a second, before giving the body a psychic scan. This would be her new disguise. And, when damnation fell upon Whirlwind, Magma and Aqua, they would not look at her, but at the eyes of the last living human of Altomare. This child would be the testament to all of their sins, and they will know true fear when they saw it.

"My Princess!"

If she hadn't been in such a furious mood, Atiae would've jumped. But, instead, she simply turned and gave the speaker a deathglare. She wanted to fester in her fury, and being interrupted, if anything, just made her angrier. She was mourning Altomare and Ash, and she would not be denied.

It actually took her a moment to say anything, simply due to wanting to keep herself from striking the shade that dared interrupt. The herd, they held almost as much blame as Whirlwind or herself did in the fall of Altomare. In both their presence, and their inability to keep the city safe.

But, that was a sin that they both shared, now wasn't it?

"What is it, Habna?" Was all she gave, before she turned back, and gave the body one last look. The child had a necklace. Some sort of silver cross. It was as good of a token as any, if only for remembrance. She slid it off of the body, and put it around her own neck, before gently placing the body into the ocean. The shade didn't really respond, instead opting to watch the body as it slowly sank, and Atiae too watched it dutifully, as it faded from view.

At least the shade had enough sense to remain quiet for the moment.

The latios looked surprisingly ruffled as she looked back at him, and saw that he was entirely out of breath. "It's Habni, Milady. And, Sir Ash made it back."

Upon hearing the news, she felt a tumult of emotion. Ash was alive. He wasn't dead.

He wasn't dead.

It was a surprisingly soothing balm to her rage and sorrow, and, after a moment of processing the idea, she let out a surprisingly deep sigh, a breath that she wasn't even aware of. It took several moments for her to comprehend what that_ truly_ meant, but once she figured it out, Atiae instead shoved her anger, rage, and hate to the side, at least for a little bit.

Today, everything that she loved had seemingly fell. But, she still had Ash. And he didn't deserve her rage, her pain, her pure, unadulterated hatred. The male had done nothing wrong. He simply couldn't pick up the slack that she herself had left.

That wasn't his failing. That was hers.

The thought, it didn't make everything better, but it did give her hope. There was still one thing left that she cared about.

"Bring me to him."

* * *

"Ash! Thank Arceus you're alright!"

The instant the Sky-Dancer was within sight, the mouse felt a overwhelming sense of relief. Ash was ok. Everything was alright.

One would think that he would be used to the feeling at this point, but the sense of worry and desperation never did lose it's sting. As such, the instant Ash was within range, the small mouse didn't use an ounce of hesitation, and instead opted to leap directly at Ash as if he were to disappear into thin air. But, after a moment of desperate, vicious snuggling, he finally felt the relief pass, and the mouse finally caught up with both himself, and the situation.

Oh, yes. Altomare. Ash didn't have the Soul Dew currently, but that didn't mean much, if it had to be in the city and all.

"Ash, did you...?"

The instant the words left Pikachu's mouth, he regretted them, upon seeing the heartbroken and exhausted look the human-turned-dragon had. How he missed it, he'd never know, but, it was something impossible to miss.

He was heartbroken. And it didn't take an expert to figure out what that meant, and if there was anything Pikachu was an expert at, it was Ash. Which meant...

Oh. Oh no.

The Mouse instead opted to pull himself closer to the dragon, ignoring his body's muted protests.

"Ash, it's not your fault."

The sky-dancer opted to ignore the mouse for a moment, and instead, sighed deeply, thinking about how badly he messed this up before returning the hug. He had... failed. He had allowed millions to die. He didn't fly fast enough, he didn't figure out how to fly faster until the very end, and, even then, he took forever to find the Soul Dew in the ocean.

And who knew how long he had been out of it once he hit the water?

But that wasn't it. All of that didn't include the fact that, in his complete and utter desperation... he killed those who stole the Soul Dew.

He had never killed someone before, not even on his fishing trips with Misty. But, even if he tried to compare those trips to this, it was extremely different. Instead of killing a prey pokemon for food, something that everyone needed, He killed in desperation to save the city. People who he didn't need to kill. People that died, simply because they were in his way. It might have been on accident, but that wasn't an excuse. They were dead, completely and utterly destroyed, because of him. His intent didn't change the fact that those people were dead.

Nor did it help him in any way. It didn't make his return any faster. It didn't make the city any less destroyed. It didn't save anyone.

No. It did nothing. Everyone from Altomare was dead, because he wasn't fast enough, because he wasn't skilled enough. Maybe, if he knew how to properly use thunder-bolt, he could've downed the ship sooner, and maybe he could've returned in time to save everyone.

Or, maybe, if he knew how to fly proper, he could've caught up sooner.

It all fell down to him. Because he was a weak, little "Sky-Dancer", he had failed, and everyone was dead. He failed. Altomare was gone. Millions dead, because he couldn't fly fast enough. Because he wasn't smart enough, because he didn't try hard enough.

"Ash. It's not your fault."

Upon hearing the phrase from his friend, Ash couldn't stop himself. "It is! It totally is! If I... If I flew faster, or-"

"Master Ash."

The young male slumped over out of emotional exhaustion at the voice. It sounded gentle, but, regardless of tone, he could recognize a reprimand when he heard one. So, instead, he continued to sit there for a moment, before finally looking over to the source of the voice. It was the elderly shade that helped Atiae, Lorip. As such, Ash looked over, his eyes still downcast, and offered up an explanation. He had no doubt that the herd, even if he was no part of it, would be baying for his blood. And frankly, he didn't blame them.

"I... failed. I blew it. Everyone is dead, because of me."

The elderly Shade sighed at the sight of the young dragon, before shaking his head in exasperation. The male had done just about everything right. He saved the Soul Dew, stopped Whirlwind, and brought it back to the herd. The city was a truly tragic loss, but in the end, millions couldn't own up to what Whirlwind could... no, would do, if they had succeeded.

But, the young, human raised dragon apparently didn't feel the same as he did. He was distraught, heartbroken, and a few steps away from a complete emotional breakdown. And no hero of the Lati deserved that, for doing what was right, to the best of their abilities.

He would have to fix this. As such, he gently grabbed the Soul Dew out of the claws of the distraught Sky-Dancer, before looking it over.

So many dead, for what seemed to be simply a pretty bauble. Tragic.

Lorip then held out the Soul Dew for both the dragon, and his friend, to see. "Master Ash... What is this?"

Ash blinked a single time, staring at the elder as he held up the Soul Dew.

"What?"

Lorip simply floated closer, and handed Ash the gem, carefully making sure the Lati had a good hold of it as he transferred the gem to the younger Lati. "What is this?"

"The... Soul Dew."

Lorip gave a single nod. He had never been the most... emotional of Lati, but this young dragon deserved his full effort in helping him recover from his shock. Plus, this was the perfect opportunity to explain to the young Sky-Dancer what the Soul Dew really was, if he didn't already know. "Yes. The Soul Dew. Now... What do you know about the Soul Dew?"

Ash simply blinked in confusion, before his expression of sadness returned. "It... kept the city safe."

Lorip took a breath, and lowered his tone. He was most likely right in his guess. The young one didn't truly know what he held in his claws, beyond a powerful object. "Correct, in a way, I suppose. No, This gem, this small, admittedly pretty sphere, is simply one out of a set of eight. They are all equally powerful, not one greater than another, and they are all very precious, in their own right. But this one, the one that you saved, and that I currently hold in my claws, is special. Extremely special. Master Ash, I would like you to try and guess why."

The Sky-Dancer continued to stare, this time incredulously. Was the elder Lati... mocking him?

"Why does it even matter?"

Lorip could see the beginnings of anger in the Lati's eyes, and he let out a sigh. He was coming across as flippant, when seeming so would be extremely inappropriate. He needed to rectify that. "I apologize if I offended you, Master Ash. It was not my intent, and as such, I shall answer for you. It matters, because this is the _last_ Soul Dew. The only one left, out of a grand total of what used to be eight. Now, forgive me for being presumptuous, but... I assume you do not know what the Soul Dew is actually for?"

Ash sighed, getting more and more irritated, his anger starting to outshine his sorrow. Millions were dead, and he was getting a lecture.

"No, I don't."

The elder Lati sighed, before shaking his head. Humans knew so much, and yet, they knew oh-so-little. And, that trait was passed onto their children and the Pokemon they raised.

So, Lorip opened his mouth to speak, before a sudden thought came to mind, stopping him in his tracks. The truth... it was a harsh one. And a suffocating one. It wouldn't help the young dragon's state. If anything, it would worsen it.

His current goal was to _comfort_ the Lati, not drive him deeper into despair. He was young, clearly powerful and full of promise. When he looked upon this Lati, he saw the exact same thing he did when he first saw the Princess.

He saw hope. And a future. He was what the Lati needed. Someone who would walk boldly into that great unknown without hesitation.

But it wouldn't do to break the foundations on which the boy would be built upon. His original plan was far too heavy-clawed. No... The young dragon didn't need the full story. But, a bit of the truth... Just enough to calm him, ensure and support his emotional state and allow him some genuine, well earned respite... That would do. And it would help him accept the full truth later on, once he was more centered, more ready.

"Very well, then. I shall make this simple. Are you familiar with the orbs of both Kyogre and Groudon?"

The young Lati was fully irritated now, and gave a small scowl towards the elder Lati. "Yes."

The youth was sinking into anger. A natural response, to such an event, but it was an unwanted one. He knew he was already going to have to deal with a absolutely enraged Princess. He didn't need to deal with her claimed being the same. He needed to cool that fury, or, at least, temper it.

"Then you know what the Soul Dew are, at least to a point."

The Sky-Dancer blinked once, still trying to process what that truly meant.

"The eight Soul Dew are all pieces of the Orb of Rayquaza, or, as Whirlwind likes to call it, the Jade Orb. With it, they would have complete control of The God of the Sky. At least, theoretically. But, the important thing is that if they get all eight, they win. They would have complete control of the skies, the weather, everything. The waves of the ocean, to the very air we breath. And, Lord Rayquaza is one of the most powerful Gods in the world, one of the few true gods of the realm that are consistently here. There would be few who could stop him if he were to go on a rampage, and even fewer who would. So, if they get control of Lord Rayquaza..."

Ash blinked in sudden realization. "They'd take over the world."

"Exactly, Master Ash. That is why we're proud of you. Truly. We may have lost the city, but... in the end, you've stopped a considerably worse travesty from coming to fruition. We have lost Soul Dew after Soul Dew, slowly failing at our tasks that were entrusted to us. And, in our darkest hour, it was you, Ash, who saved the last Soul Dew. We will weep for the loss of Altomare, truly. But... This is the first time that Whirlwind has ever truly failed at securing a Soul Dew, once they've actually gotten a hold of it. And your saving it, has possibly saved the world."

The young Sky-Dancer slumped over in exhaustion, and simply laid there. "Pikachu... why does the world just wanna... fall apart?"

The mouse simply nuzzled himself into his trainer's side, and shrugged. "It just does, Ash. But.. we'll be there. To quote a certain bunch of morons... We'll protect the world, from devastation. It's kinda our thing at this point."

Lorip simply sat in silence, instead opting to watch the young adult as he slowly came to terms with their new reality. It wasn't his most graceful speech, nor was it even a very informative lesson, but it seemed to have done it's job, at least marginally.

_"Where is he?!"_

Lorip was brought out of his satisfaction upon hearing the question, and winced at both the sheer volume of the shout, as well as the obvious distance in which he heard it. He would recognize that tone, and that voice, anywhere.

The Princess was back. She was safe as well, and, if he had to guess, he would say that she was, in a way, absolutely, completely, and entirely livid.

For a split second, Lorip actually considered shouting back, his desire to please her as well as answer her question almost outweighing any sort of common sense. But, before he could, the logical part of his mind intervened, and he immediately thought against it. For a Princess, nay, for a _ruler_, emotions were simply another tool to use, just like anything. One could have outbursts, or show themselves however they wished, as long as it fit their style of leadership, or the situation truly called for it. It was their right. However, for those who served those in power, one required a form of... quiet dignity. They were expected to be neither seen, nor heard, unless desired, and Lorip always made a point to strive to be the epitome of both.

So, instead, Lorip gave a psychic flare, and waited. The Princess would easily recognize his signature, and know immediately that it was his response. He did, however, back away a bit, making sure that he didn't sit in between where the Princess was, and where her claimed be. The Princess was, in a word... hysterical, _before_ she left the shores of Johto. And he highly doubted that seeing the remains of her beloved home-city would do anything to calm her. And, as much as he desired to please and aid her, there was a point where it stopped being self sacrifice in an effort to help, to it being more akin to standing in the way of an angry Tauros for no reason beyond being seen before Ash.

He did not desire to be in the way of her and her claimed. He doubted that she would think of anything beyond getting to Ash at this point, and being between them... wasn't a wise move.

"Ash!"

The Princess' entrance was akin to watching a plane burst through the underbrush, her psychic energy shoving the foliage and everything else aside, in her attempt to make haste. In fact, he even got to see one of the Shades that was currently following him flare up, as the equivalent of a psychic tsunami roared through the clearing in which they sat struck them aside into a nearby tree.

Lorip held back a scowl at that. He had thought Keri was ready to provide protection to the Princess and her claimed, but he had been wrong. The young female definitely would need more training. The Princess was well known for her flare-ups, the technique being the Princess' favorite way of showing her displeasure. And revealing one's position because someone angered the Princess was an excellent way to get the shade, and, ultimately, the Princess, killed.

But, now wasn't the time for that. The Princess was here, and she wasn't in the most... stable of mindsets. She needed a shoulder in which to lean upon. And her claimed... he needed a distraction.

He would be neither seen, nor heard.

And, with that, the Princess finally entered the clearing, her eyes desperately searching the area for her claimed. It only took a second for her to spot the male, but once she did, she rushed forward, and wrapped her arms around the Sky-Dancer's long heck, and held him tightly.

"Ash, Thank Mew."

Had Lorip been any other member of the surviving Council, he would've found the Princess' desperate, overly affectionate manner highly improper. This was the Princess, the leader of the Last herd of the Lati. These things were meant to be behind closed doors, to use the human quote. Showing such affection was both improper, and showed the leader of the Lati as a desperate, overly emotional Latias.

But Lorip, he instead found that it brought a smile to his face. The Princess was very much akin to a granddaughter to him, and seeing that she had someone she cared enough for to break the rigid social norms of the herd, simply to reaffirm his actual well-being warmed his cold, dead, and frankly, rather callous heart a bit. But, as he watched her begin to try and reaffirm her claim on the male, he had to step in. This was a public area, after all, and there were surely others who were watching, besides himself and his fellow Shades.

"My Princess... Surely, one would prefer privacy for such... acts?"

The latias in question froze for a moment, before turning to him, and gave him one of the most impressive glares he had ever received in his life. It actually surprised him, the amount of steel and fury she managed to hold, with just a simple look.

"I... I do not mind, milady, but there are others around. Surely, I can find you a more... proper place, to reaffirm your feelings."

She continued to glare, but after a moment, gave a nod that, while showing her... acquiesce, also seemed to show just how irritating the idea was in equal measure. Lorip smiled a bit at that; even with all her anger, desperation, and emotional dishevelment, she still had the understanding of what was proper.

He was so proud.

"Keri, if you could, please find the princess somewhere private. And fetch me your older sister as well, before you return. She will be your replacement."

The Latias nodded, after a bit of hesitance, but her face showed confusion. He would have to lecture her on what she did wrong after she returned.

* * *

"Ash, Thank Mew."

She could feel his feathers in her claws, and after a long, desperate hug, she released him, and instead opted to hold her forehead against his in a desperate attempt to mock a kiss. He was alive. She could feel him, hear him, smell him. It wasn't some figment of her imagination, nor a body to cry over, like her brothers. It was Ash. Living, breathing, and, frankly, as brokenhearted as she was. But, even if her heart was shattered, she still had him. A metaphorical lifeboat in the ocean where Altomare used to lay.

He was hers. She was his. It was all she needed, which was nice, if only because, as of right now, it was all she really had.

"I... I have the Soul Dew."

Atiae's heart skipped a beat at that. She couldn't have heard him right.

"Wha...what?"

She released him, if only for a moment, but, sure enough, he wasn't lying. In his claws, was the Soul Dew. The fragment of her brother's Soul, His Aura crystallized and attuned to the bastard Rayquaza. He... he actually had the Soul Dew. He succeeded, in a way. Her mess up was less, "I doomed the my species and the world" and more "I destroyed Altomare".

Not the best upgrade, but frankly, it was an upgrade. And, add the fact that Ash was still alive, and that he was the one to retrieve it, and she found that she now had a level of relief that she didn't expect, and it was a very, very welcome boon.

She knew she hadn't been wrong in choosing him. But, she never expected to be proven so extravagantly right. That was it. She was just gonna have to do it, and just kiss him. If anyone earned that, it was him. And, that was before he rescued the Soul Dew. And so, she leaned back, and made to connect lips.

"My Princess... Surely, one would prefer privacy for such... acts?"

Atiae froze in place for a very short moment, before feeling her rage return. There was times and moments for interruptions, and interrupting her thanking Ash was not one of them. It would never be one of them. Never. It was just short of treason, and only just.

As such, she turned her head, and gave a heated glare at the speaker. It was Lorip, which was somewhat surprising. He should know better. She would simply have to remind him the folly of such an interruption.

"I... I do not mind, milady, but there are others around. Surely, I can find you a more... proper place, to reaffirm your feelings?"

She continued to glare, but, after a moment, she nodded. She would wait. Only because, as of right now, anything she did, would shine upon Ash. She wasn't so desperate that she would tarnish Ash's image just for a thank you. It went against what she was aiming for, at the very least.

But, she desperately wanted thank Ash properly. She doubted she ever could, but she still had options that allowed her to show just how thankful she felt.

Like, well, a kiss. A wholehearted one. A small, gentle way for her to show her appreciation and feelings in a way that was pretty much universal. But, instead, Lorip had to remind her that such a thing was a form of extreme exhibitionism to her kind, and that they had to wait for some privacy.

What a drag.

As such, Atiae was forced to hold herself back, and instead, brought him into another desperate, tight hug.

"Ash. I love you."

She couldn't thank him enough, regardless of what happened. But, for now, she would just have to give him her heart in it's entirety, and simply wait until she could thank him properly.

* * *

"Ok, It's official. I am completely, totally, absolutely lost."

Yackey wasn't having the best day. That was to be expected, she supposed, seeing as they got tag-teamed by Whirlwind, Aqua, and Magma all at once, without any of them having the courtesy of waiting for their own damn turn. But still, at least the rest of the Lati knew where the hell they were going. She, on the other hand, got to be the sole survivor of her group of evacuees, and didn't have the luck of being the scout leader of the group, who was actually told where the herd was to evacuate to. As such, she was on some unknown strip of Johto, a landmass she had never even been to before, with not a clue where she should go, and a completely and utterly fucked eye, due to getting hit by something while her group got hit by some chuckle-head in a jet.

And when she said hit, she quite literally meant "hit". The bastard was in the same ocean as her group, right now, his engines not taking kindly to suddenly being filled with Lati.

But, that was the past. The right now, well, was that she couldn't see a damn thing out of her right eye, but that wasn't a huge issue, as far as she knew. Eyes were sensitive, tender things, and she hadn't actually tried to open it yet, seeing as any attempts at even wiggling the damn thing felt like someone was trying to dig the dumb thing out. It could be simply bruised, or her eyelid could be torn. It didn't mean she was, like, blind in it, or anything.

Sure, all that blood wasn't the best sign, but that just gave her more incentive to find the herd, and thus, a healer. She didn't wanna think about what would happen if the injury went untreated.

Gangrene came to mind.

Not the happiest thought. But, it wasn't the happiest situation. She thought again about looking some more for the herd, but her last attempt at going above the treeline had resulted in a jet swooping down near her, and she wasn't ready to get finished off, in exchange for finding out that she was nowhere near where she was supposed to be. Not the best trade off. Death, and nothing besides disappointment for it.

"No, none of that. I gotta think positive."

It was easier said than done.

"Ok... So, I'll definitely have a cool new scar now. And Ferals love those, so... maybe It'll help me find some cute new dragon, or something."

The herd was big enough that she could find someone like that. There was hundreds of fellow ferals in the herd, after all. And there was dozens near her age. There was the possibility that her new scar would get her a chance, or, hell, at least a turn with one of those who had already turned their nose up at her already.

"Or, maybe when I find Kolm, he'll be all nice and tender and shit. He's such a softie, he'll do anything I want."

The idea that Kolm being willing to do anything was a nice thought, too. He was considerably more loyal than the average Feral, and he didn't really care if she was scrawny for a feral her age. He liked her for her, which was a nice thought. In fact, it was a nice enough thought that she was almost willing to overlook the fact that he such was a huge wimp, even for a Current-Chaser.

But, on the bright side, she wouldn't have the fight anyone for him, which was nice. Convenient. It meant less fighting for loyalty, and whatnot. But, maybe that was her Current-Chaser half talking. Her mom had a romantic streak a mile and a half wide, after all.

But, that was neither here, nor there. She was thinking about cute Lati, and Kolm was... Kolm. Her best friend, and who she would probably end up with, in the end. But that didn't mean she wouldn't have fun. And, hey, she might end up finding someone better. Nicer, smarter, stronger and Hotter. Like that new Sky-Dancer, who was taken by the Princess the instant he waltzed in through the front gate.

Yackey smiled at the thought, as she continued to move through the forest.

He was certainly attractive. His face had that cute, "I'm almost a hatchling" kinda look to it, and his wingspan was beyond impressive. And he was so... Shy, too. It was adorable. Too bad he also wasn't even on the "Ogle at a distance" list, seeing as the Princess was both a changeling, and... well, the Princess. She doubted that she could survive a warning strike from her, let alone actively inciting her anger.

Only in her dreams, then. In her heavily shielded, extremely private dreams.

As she was thinking about that, her eye twinged angrily, and she let out a small, involuntary gasp. She needed to get her eye looked at, and, after wandering the woods for the past several hours, she was almost willing to go to a Pokemon Center under her own power.

But, after a glance skyward, she found that it was a folly. It was nearly nightfall.

And she was a lone Lati.

That spelled all sorts of doom.

"Figures."


	35. End of Act One

**A/N So, here's the newest chapter! It's, as always, the epitome of 5/10, nay, the God-Emperor of complete and utter _Meh_, but, hey, maybe some of you will get some enjoyment from it.**

**On a completely different note, I've broken 900 Reviews, and 1000 Followers! In all honesty, I never did expect this story to get nearly as big as this. But, against all odds, and, even more impressive, against my own terrible writing, we made it!**

**I want to thank every single one of you. It's all of you who make me wanna write this, and it's all of your reviews, fav's, follows, and, heck, complaints, flames, hatemail, and the like that pushed my lazy butt this far!**

**So, Here we are. The last chapter of the first arc. Next chapter will be up whenever it's finished, which hopefully won't be long, but, until then, I hope that this sad attempt at writing sates you all for however long that may be.**

**Also, a amazing thank ya to my prereader, TheGrunt22! She's awesome!**

* * *

Pikachu sat in the tree he had found in a stony silence, his expression cold, and his irritation evident as he overlooked the clearing in which that elder Lati had brought them to. The shock of Altomare's terrible loss had faded a while ago, and instead, a cold, yet raging fury had rose up to take it's place. Another selfish group, trying their hardest to destroy the world had, yet again, hurt his precious trainer. But, for the first time, there had been some genuine losses. An entire city's worth, in fact.

It wasn't surprising, not really. After all, how many close calls had they had? How many times that they had came within a hair's breadth of destruction?

Sure, Pikachu had always thought that, maybe, they would get lucky yet again. Or, if they didn't, that, when they finally fell short, that all they would lose was maybe some legendary, or the loss of some old tribe out in the boonies. But, Life never liked to hold back for that sort of thing, did it?

And, as for the loss itself, again, his trainer would be the one to foot the emotional bill. His poor little human couldn't seem to catch a break lately. No, instead of being on his adventure, he had to become a dragon. Not only that, but a race with a massive target on them. Which, just happened to coincide with Altomare's fall.

Now, Pikachu wasn't normally the most paranoid of mouses, strictly speaking. But, this stank of some sort of divine intervention. The timing, the situation, the fact that Ash not only magically changed species, but also changed into one of the few demi-god Pokemon in existence. That, for whatever reason, they managed to make their way to the city where everything would fall down.

Never mind the fact that Ash also happened to be just the perfect race of rare Latios that could actually overtake a Jet, and, untrained, actually take it down as well. Again, Ash was in the perfect place, at the perfect time, with the perfect skills for the job.

But, why couldn't the world just leave Ash alone? Hadn't he served enough? Hadn't he saved the world, the planet, everyone, several times over? The boy had given enough as it was. Why did the universe insist upon taking everything Ash had, and more?

At the thought, Pikachu gave a small sigh, and shook his head, instead opting to look over to his trainer. The Princess was currently giving him what seemed to be a grooming, albeit a more intimate one, with little, gentle caresses and nips along his sides as she did so. At the sight, Pikachu made to say something, before noticing that Ash actually seemed to be enjoying it.

He would hold his tongue, and as much as he wanted to, he wouldn't interfere. Ash earned some respite, even if it was simply one of a more... physical nature. And, right now, he would accept any harbor in the storm for his friend, even if it was an irritating, controlling Latias with no sense of personal space or individuality. He'd just have to leave the pair of them be, at least for now. Instead, he would resume his watch, while ruminating upon the situation.

Ah, yes. They were still, in a way, lucky. They had failed in one of the more important objectives, but, for the situation, it was the best case scenario. After all, if what that old Latios said was true, it could've been one of those times where the entire world had been on the brink of destruction. As cold as it sounded, millions dead would've been light if this had happened when, say, they had to save Lugia. The oceans wouldn't have only struck Altomare then, and instead, if his understanding was right, they would've lost every coastal city, along with the weather getting screwed up enough for mass famine and drought as well.

No, in a cold, logical way, this had been one of the best case scenarios. It was only the loss of a single city. No matter how tragic it was. And, if that old Latios was to be believed, Ash had prevented yet another group from taking over the world. So, they were still "winning".

Too bad that cold, heartless logic did actually offer any solace. Just cold, heartless emptiness instead.

Pikachu grumbled a bit at that fact internally for a moment, before looking back to Ash, and finding that, to his surprise, the pair had a gentle, yet desperate hug going. And, it suddenly hit him that, yes, Latias was suffering too.

Ash wasn't the only one hurt by this. Sure, Ash was the type to be considered the all loving hero, but Atiae... Altomare was her home. Anyone she had precious to her would've, at the very least, met her there. She had lived in the city since her birth, and knew the canals better than he knew Ash's ranch. The loss of Altomare was akin to Ash's family home burning down, with Ash's mom and all of his Pokemon in it. The loss of almost everything and everyone she loved.

At the realization, Pikachu sighed, and shook his head. While he knew it wasn't humanity's fault, they really had a habit of making the literal worst villains. Sure, they had heroes like Ash to balance it out, but still. They really had the capability to royally screw up the world if they wanted.

He'd have to cut her some slack after this. Sure, she was still an overbearing, possessive female who had basically forced a relationship, but... She genuinely cared for Ash. And she was, in a way, what they made her into. And, hey, maybe the fall of Altomare would mellow Atiae out.

At the thought, Pikachu made a outward scoff of disgust, this time aimed at himself. That line of thought went somewhere terrible. He was just gonna drop that there, and instead, play the chaperone, and let Latias comfort his beloved trainer. Her ministrations, as intimate as they seemed, were being both accepted and welcomed by the emotionally injured Ash. Suffering loved company, and right now, they were the two the most hurt.

Plus, she was proving much more effective at being Ash's rock than Pikachu could currently manage. After all, the avenues that Latias had to comfort the pair were options that were... not available to him.

At least, not without making things extremely awkward. He doubted that his attempts at seduction would make Ash feel better, at any rate.

* * *

"Ash, please roll over. I need to get to your side better."

The male didn't really think about the request much, and, instead, did exactly that, rolling clumsily onto his side without a second thought. The mindless monotony, the thoughtless following of orders, there was a freedom in it. He didn't have to think, he didn't have to feel, all he had to do was sit there, and, in a way, get showered in affection. It didn't hurt. It didn't sting, and it didn't require him to think or act on any of today's previous events.

It was... nice. And, the gentle, loving caress of his claimed as she fixed his feathers and made sure that he looked suitable was nice, too. It was akin to the loving, gentle hugs his mother gave him when he felt down, but more... heated, in a way. It didn't have the feeling of absolute security, but it had it's own feeling, a welcome and passionate heat, akin to when one won a Pokemon battle. A hint of excitement, and... passion.

Ash internally felt a pang of revulsion at the thought, which brought him from his haze. He was getting_ far_ too into it. He took a moment to shake his head, to bring himself back to reality. This wasn't right. He was using Atiae as a security blanket, letting her knead his worries and hurt away, when hers... hers were much worse. He was selfishly using her, for his own gains.

That was something Paul did. Something Team Rocket did.

Something monsters did.

He had to do something. Anything. She was hurt, hurting, no doubt worse than he was.

And so, with that thought in mind, he rolled back onto his belly, and rose up from the ground.

"Ash?"

Her tone was confused, and possibly, a bit hurt. But Ash didn't pay it much heed, and instead, turned towards her.

"Atiae..."

He didn't really know what to do. So, instead, he moved forward, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her both close and tight.

"I'm sorry."

She didn't really say anything, and instead, just sat there.

"I'm sorry."

Atiae continued to be silent, so Ash just pulled her closer.

"If... If I was faster, or knew what to do, or... anything, I could've did it. But... I couldn't. It's my fault the city is gone. And... I'm so sorry."

Ash noticed that he had finally broken down, and let the tears fall. He had failed. Failed the city, failed his friends, failed Atiae. Failed Latios, who had entrusted both his sister, and the city, to him.

But, as he held her, he felt her arms wrap themselves around him, and she returned the hug. But, she still remained silent for a moment, instead opting to just continue the embrace in silence.

But, after what seemed to be forever, she pulled back, and made a shaky sigh. "I..."

She swallowed audibly, and looked Ash straight in the eyes. "I... I don't blame you. I don't. Never."

It wasn't as if it removed a weight off of his shoulders, but hearing the reassurance was welcome. But still, he hurt her. Before, and now, and he had no real way of comforting her, as she did for him.

Or, didn't he?

There was a small, yet comforting voice in the back of his mind. He knew exactly what she wanted, what she desired. It wasn't as if she had ever tried to hide her attraction, even in the past. But now... He could act on it. He might not be able to fix the problems of the world, but he could certainly give her what she wanted.

Him.

It would be so simple. She wanted him. And, that was the one thing he had to give. It would be easy, and while he couldn't fix the world's current problems, he could be there for her.

All it would take was a kiss. He didn't have to do the whole Soul bond thing, not yet. But... he could be her crutch. And... he had no doubt that she could be his, if he truly needed it. That's what romance was, wasn't it? Being there for each other, loving and protecting, comforting and holding? He could do that. Easily. He did that for everyone, anyway. All he would have to do is... prioritize her. And, well, at this point, she had his priority anyway.

Yes. That would be it. He could, nay, _would_ love her. That would be his gift, his... penance. He could give that freely, after all, and if there was anyone who he owed enough for that, it was her.

And so, with that in mind, he leaned in, and connected his lips with hers. It was a short, sloppy kiss, much like their first, but, it felt a little more final.

"Atiae... I love you."

* * *

"Good job."

The still awake Latias didn't immediately respond, and instead chose to instead remain silent as she took the effort to untangle her neck from Ash's own, before looking over to the mouse. She didn't say a thing, but it was easy to tell that she wasn't happy to the mouse, and she continued to keep her body snuggled against both the sleeping Sky-Dancer, and the Soul Dew he held.

"So... You're holding up well."

The sentence wasn't really necessary, but it got a reaction from the female. She scoffed, before giving the mouse a frown. "No, I'm not."

The mouse didn't really react outwardly, instead opting to shrug. His body language was neutral, but that didn't fool the Latias. That was the look of a rather furious pokemon. She herself had done the same thing, many times.

"Could've fooled me. After all, didn't you just get what you always wanted?"

The irritated Latias huffed, and instead, made a point to nuzzle Ash before responding, instead choosing to focus on her claimed for a moment, rather than pay the annoying mouse any attention. He was asleep, finally. She didn't doubt his dreams would be terrible, however. One didn't go through such a terrible loss without nightmares.

But she would be there for him. After all, even if the city was lost, he still managed to save the Soul Dew. And, even if he hadn't, she would be there for him. He was the holder of her soul, and not even the loss of Altomare would change that.

"Just because I may have "gotten" Ash, doesn't mean the loss of Altomare weighs any less on my mind. I am not some one dimensional waif who's emotions are dictated merely on what my love may or may not do."

The mouse shrugged casually up from his perch, and looked directly over to where she lay. "Regardless, "Atiae", You got the boy. He's yours now, probably forever. Sure, you did get him through a whole slew of emotional manipulation and the loss of a city and all, but what relationship isn't built off of that sorta thing these days? And yet... you look disappointed. So, let's forget the whole, "Millions are dead" thing, and instead focus on Ash."

The statement made Atiae bristle, and while she didn't rise from her place beside Ash, she did shoot a livid glare at the electric type. "Millions are dead, and you want me to _forget_?"

The mouse smiled slightly, but it felt sick, twisted. He garnered no enjoyment from aggravating the Latias. But, still, he needed to do _something_. He couldn't just sit here, stewing in his own anger, rage, and sadness. And, what better thing to work on than a overly attached and possessive Latias, who Ash was now "Determined" to be with?

So, he'd have to play a little. Maybe, allow a bit of his own anger out, and prod the high and mighty "Princess" into giving him something, anything to work with. And Atiae was proving to be just like Bayleaf, in a way. She needed someone to hit her over the head, for her to get angry, before she would dare get to the point. So, he'd just have to poke and prod until she gave him something.

"Eh, Right now, there is absolutely nothing we can do about that. And, short of hunting down Celebi, and forcing her to send us back, There won't ever be a way for us to "fix" this. However, what we can do, right now, is fix you. Or, Ash and you. As I said, you won. Ash is yours. But, I'll be damned if I just sat back, and watched as he jumped headfirst into a relationship that just screams "Broken.""

The mouse then sighed. "So, My office is open. I am Doctor Chu, and I'll be your therapist for the evening."

The Princess growled lightly. "_Is this just a game to you?_"

At the question, the mouse actually smiled a little, this time in actual amusement, before reclining further into the tree. No, this was really the opposite. It was just another day in the life of Ash Ketchum, and his stalwart companion, Pikachu. Another day, another crime against life itself that they were forced to stop, another cruel deed that they were to clean up.

"Maybe. After all, after saving the world_ so many times_, I'm probably pretty broken in the noggin'. But, if there is anything I've learned from my journeys, it's that if we aren't all on the same page, someone could come down with a terminal case of being dead."

Pikachu sighed after finishing his statement, before looking straight over to Atiae. "And if Ash ends up being the one dying, because of your own hang-ups, I'll kill you myself, and there won't be anything your Body guards could do to save you. So, let's start. Why, Atiae, are you unhappy? What was wrong with Ash's confession?""

Atiae let out a low, angry growl, before rising up from Ash's side slightly. "Alright, fine. Let's act as if I didn't care that almost everyone I loved is dead. That the city I grew up in wasn't entirely destroyed, that the herd that forced themselves upon me didn't cause the ruination of all I loved, time and time again. Let's just play make believe, and act as if _I don't care_." She then took a moment to take a calming breath, before letting it out slowly.

"I'm not a fool. Ash's "Confession" is about as legitimate as yours would be. He's hiding himself in both duty and me, and is willing to lie to my face for it. And, even if I was, for some reason, alright with that, there's the whole, "Everyone I loved died" thing as well. We're stuck on the coast of Johto, a giant target, many injured, homeless, disoriented, and Ash, the holder of my heart and the bravest one I know, is about as fit for doing what he does best as I am in leading the herd right now. Which is to say, absolutely unable to do anything."

"I have a ton of reasons why to be angry, Pikachu. And a very many reasons why, right now, I don't want to deal with you."

The mouse simply sat in the tree for a moment, before sighing.

"A Princess doesn't leave her herd, and instead choose to cuddle her claimed for hours that she could've used to maintain the peace. A Princess doesn't show such outbursts of emotion. A Princess doesn't use another as a surrogate for her own emotions. A Princess is strong, independent, and indomitable. And right now, all I've been able to do to keep myself together is do exactly what I shouldn't be doing."

Pikachu huffed in irritation. He hated being the team Councilor. He was supposed to be the impulsive, hot-blooded and over-protective fighter of the group. Quick to make a thunderbolt, and even quicker with a joke. And yet, he also seemed to be one of the most stable, that he was the one that propped up the other pokemon, and helped them stand tall when Ash needed it most.

But, that was just his lot in life. He'd play the part. And, while he wouldn't dare try too cheer up Ash due to his own horrific mood, he didn't really care if he accidentally said the wrong thing to Latias. She could use some tough love, and frankly, she seemed to do better when someone was actively insulting or pushing her, even if it was only due to poorly chosen words.

"Well... Yeah. You are kinda sucking at being a Princess right now. But that raises a huge question. Why are you the Princess?"

The Latias gave Pikachu a glare, and the mouse shrugged. "If you're this super awesome, super powered and wonderful Princess, how could you fail? How could you suddenly need something as stupid and pointless as _comfort_?"

She just continued to glare, and Pikachu sighed in disappointment. She acted as if everything she did couldn't be wrong, yet also was the worst option possible. It was a very delicate balance, and one that he didn't want to disrupt. Such a terrifyingly volatile mix of pride and self loathing.

"I'm just saying. Why are you the Princess, anyway, if you break down so easily?"

The female continued her silence, but her glare faltered. The mouse, regardless of her opinion, had a point.

"It's because, as much as you hate it, you're not the cold, detached and angry Latias you think you are. You just buried those feelings deep, deep down. And... well, I guess it took a bomb the size of Altomare to dig it back up. So... congrats, I guess. You're not such a cold bitch like you thought. So, I have a different question._ Why_ are you the Princess? I woulda thought that, the instant someone else showed up to watch Altomare, you would be on the first flight to Johto, to hunt us down."

"Atiae" sat there in moment for a moment, before letting out a small sigh. "I considered it, for a long time. But, in the end, I couldn't abandon the city I lived for, that my brother died for. It was my duty. And, as I was the guardian of Altomare, I couldn't just stay, and not become the leader."

The mouse cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Why not?"

The Latias nuzzled the sleeping Ash for a moment, before continuing. The male was sleeping relatively peaceful, and for that, she was glad. "A Guardian's position isn't just like holding a territory. One can't just wander in, and force the old Guardian out, if you want the place. They would either have to leave it forever, or you would have to take it. So, if someone, say, a herd, wants the area it entails, there are four ways of getting the land from the guardian. Killing them, adopting them if they are young enough, mating with them if they are single and willing, or them leaving peacefully. And, I was too old for adoption at this point. So, I either had to die, leave Altomare forever, or join the herd through a mating bond. Or, I could take a third option. I could keep the land, and forcibly subjugate any of those who felt that they could be the leader, and take the land from me. And... that one was the most reasonable."

She sighed, running her claw over Ash's sleeping head to comfort herself. "I got to continue waiting for Ash, I got to stay, and protect Altomare. And all it took was a simple battle, and I would be in charge of whoever showed up. I had to beat every herd leader, and make them bow to me. to claim me as their superior, or have them lay upon the ground, broken. I was some no-name hatchling, from no special line, from no herd, one who hadn't even made it to her fourteenth year, and yet, here I was, besting all comers. Making them **Bow** to me. I became what I needed to be, a cold, powerful Latias, that none could best. It wasn't easy. So many wanted this island, this city. The last safe place. And, so many of them were willing to die for it."

Pikachu blinked at the implication, before shaking his head. He had no place to judge in that regard.

"So, there you go. That's all I'm going to give you." And, with that, she turned around, and leaned back into Ash's side without another word.

Pikachu simply sighed, and instead, leaned into the trunk of the tree once more. He got more out of her than he expected, but, much less than he hoped. But, at least he gained a smidgen of respect for her. Someone who was that dedicated to a cause wouldn't give up easily. And that meant that she wouldn't just give up on Ash.

He could make that work. And, hey, if he couldn't, he'd do what he had to, he supposed. Nothing would stop him from keeping Ash safe, be it wayward Gods, or selfish love interests.

"My Princess."

The electric type jumped slightly, the voice catching him as he was lost in his thoughts, and thus, completely off guard. He swore at himself as he looked over to the newfound source of vocalization, irritated at spotting not one, but two latios. He had been paying far less attention than he should've, and, had this been a dangerous situation, Ash could've been hurt.

"Yes, Lorip?"

"The... Council, or, what is left of them, is ready for you and your claimed."

The female grumbled aloud at the statement, and started to rise. "I'll go. No need to bother Ash."

The other Latios spoke up at that. "Er, Milady, I mean no disrespect, but the Prince is needed more at the meeting than you."

Atiae rose a very irritated eyebrow at that, and stared at the Latios. Be on "Leave" as she may, what could they need Ash for that they wouldn't need her as well? "And, why is that?"

Lorip sighed, and moved in front of that younger Latios in a halfhearted attempted at shielding the younger drake from the angry Latias. "My Princess, as it is standard, you are in a moment of grieving, which means that someone else shall take your responsibilities. And, that Council has decided that your claimed will be your replacement, until _I_ deem you sufficiently recovered."

At that moment, both Atiae and Pikachu exclaimed their opinion in a single chorus.

"What!?"

* * *

_End of Act One._


	36. After-Shocks

**A/N Aaaaaaaand, here's the newest chapter, and I'll be completely honest. **

**I actually had fun writing this one. I think I've gotten sick and tired of writing the drama bit, and now that the big part we've been dealing with is out of the way, I can continue and put in some more.. Light hearted bits. A bit of humor, maybe a dash of fluff. You know, the fun, happy stuff. **

**Not a whole lot of it is in this chapter, but there is bits. And, the next chapters will ratchet that up considerably, with any luck. So, without further adue, I present you with the beginning of Act 2!**

**A shout out to my pre reader, TheGrunt22. She's the prereader of destiny. No, not the game. The concept. XD**

**Also, I made 900 Favs! We made it everyone! =D**

* * *

"Delia, Are you sure... that... *Huff* That this is the best way to do this?"

The woman in question didn't respond immediately. If anything, she actually made a point to ignore the professor for a moment, instead, instead choosing to try and push down her rather irrational anger.

Sure, she knew that the professor was old, and, as such, would have trouble with this much hiking. But, she didn't expect him to actually slow her down as much as he did. Ash was in trouble, and time was of the literal essence here. But, instead of a three day trip, it had stretched out to almost a full week, and in a world actively hunting Lati, every day, nay, every _minute_ counted.

But, in the end, she needed the elderly professor almost as much as Ash needed her. He was the one who had the ability to track Ash's Pokedex. To track his expenditure and catch records. And, he was the only one legally able to do so, as her son's professor and sponsor. So, she needed him with her, so they could get an idea where his last whereabouts were, once they sorted this out.

She just hoped that the extra time she had spent taking him along wouldn't bite her in the butt. So, instead of answering the aged professor, Delia instead focused on the map in front of her as the elderly scientist sat down on a nearby boulder, clearly exhausted. Alright, fine, if she had to be fully honest, she was somewhat impressed. The first time she had made this trip, it took her an entire week, due to the harshness of the climbing and the difficulty of the terrain. She had to give the elder man credit, he was doing very well to keep up with her.

But, even though, all things considered, that they had been making pretty good time, it didn't dispel the worry in her gut. Ash was out there, possibly alone, as a species that was hunted to near extinction by several gangs and criminal organizations. And, while she knew that Ash was a good hearted, brilliant boy, that didn't change the fact that he tended to be at the very center of every crisis in the world. It was simply what made her son him. And, that did not bode well, when he happened to be actively hunted at the same time.

"Yes, I'm sure. I've made this trip many times, Professor. I think I know what I'm doing."

The elder man nodded in tired agreement, before sighing again, this time in exasperation, before choosing to use this moment to take off his backpack and let the muscles in his back decompress. He hated being old. "Yes, I suppose you would. I guess I've just gotten used to being inside my comfy lab all day, instead of hiking all throughout Kanto."

Delia laughed a little at what she assumed was a joke, before rewrapping the map up. At least he was honest with it. "Just be happy we have Irama here to help carry most of our supplies. And, again, thank you, Irama."

The friendly dragonite nodded with a smile, before letting out a soft coo.

"I'm sorry to take you from your mate. Are you sure he won't be too cross with you?"

The Dragon just gave a good-natured smile, and an amused, if somewhat sarcastic sounding grunt.

"Nite."

Delia gave a bark of laughter at the dragon's somewhat saucy response. She had really missed Irama, both for her sense of humor, and as a simple companion. Sure, they had parted ways years ago, long before Ash had been old enough to walk properly, but still, she had been there since day one, as her starter and her best friend for a good chunk of her early life. Letting her go to find a mate had been a heartbreaking ordeal, regardless of the promise to keep in touch.

"You are completely right. So, Professor, you think you're ready to start again?"

The old man stretched a little, before standing up and looking over to their destination. The giant crystalline tree was easy to spot, even from this distance. "As ready as I'll ever be. So... Do you think she'll be happy to see us?"

Delia sighed, before a determined, if somewhat angry expression settled over her face. In the end, it didn't matter if she was happy or not.

"She won't mind. She _loves_ company. Now, let's go. The sooner we get to the tree of beginning, the sooner we can get Ash back."

"Do you think she'll turn him back?"

The mother simply nodded once, her eyes hardening. "She will, whether she wants to or not."

* * *

May let out a grunt of irritation as she accidentally pushed past a young couple, barely thinking about them as she shouted a hastily made apology.

"Sorry! I gotta get to my ferry!"

She couldn't believe that she let herself get so distracted by that buffet. Sure, it was great, the fried noodles... all that Miltank burger... Chicken legs roasted beautifully and coated in a lemon pepper mix... and Magikarp seared to perfection and coated in a wonderfully sweet Peachaberry sauce... it was divine. And all how could she resist that siren call, let alone with it in the form of a all you could eat buffet? It was almost criminal, that much good food in such a large dose.

As was their reaction to her fulfilling that unspoken promise of... well, eating all that she could eat.

Yes, getting kicked out of the restaurant was a bit much, in her opinion. Even if it did save her fanny once she realized that, yes, she was almost late for her ferry. It worked for her, in the end, but still, Ash was in trouble, and there wasn't enough food in the world to make her _willingly_ forsake Ash. But, regardless, she'd get to Altomare, one way or another.

On the lucky side, as she rushed around the corner, she saw that, indeed, her ferry to Altomare was still in the port. Not a reason to slow down, but it was enough to make her feel a little better, and a little less guilty at letting herself get so terribly distracted. And so, she ran further down the streets of Olivine city, almost knocking over a man as she ran past. She was gonna make it.

After another minute of desperate running down the hill towards the port, she finally managed to come to the ticket building, and without a second's hesitance, bursted through the doors, her exhaustion catching up with her as she barely managed a half-run, half-stumble to the ticket counter, panting. "I need... to... exercise more."

The only response from the lady at the counter was a raised eyebrow, and May let out another huff.

"Hello... I need to get... on the ferry to Altomare, please."

The lady at the ticket counter just continued to raise her eyebrow at the sight of the young teen panting in exhaustion, who had taken to leaning heavily on the side of the ticket counter for support.

"I'm sorry, but the ferry to Altomare has been cancelled until further notice."

Upon hearing that, May felt her exhaustion die a quick, brutal death as fury and adrenaline rushed through her. "What do ya mean, cancelled? I need to get to Altomare, ASAP. As soon as possible! It's extremely important!"

The lady gave the girl a more... reserved, if almost concerned look. "Listen... Do you have family in Altomare?"

May shook her head angrily. "No, but I got a friend there. And I said, it's important! Why's the ferry cancelled?"

The woman at the ticket counter sighed sadly, and pointed to one of the few televisions that sat in the lobby. On it was a emergency broadcast.

"A couple hours ago, some gang members from Hoenn started attacking the city. As far as the news has said, they called themselves Aqua. The city's been silent for a hour now, and everyone's really worried. And, because of the attack, all ferries, boats, and flights to the city are cancelled until we know that everything is alright."

May stared at the television for a moment, watching the emergency broadcast scroll past, before growling lightly. Yes, that cinched it. Ash was definitely, entirely, desperately in trouble. And, whoever was after him, was probably after his pokemon as well.

The girl let her mind wander for a second, trying to come up with a sufficient reason as to why Ash would send Pikachu, of all Pokemon, away with his probably newly caught Latios, but all ideas that came to mind were either terrible, or worse.

No. She refused to think that way. Ash probably was just saving the world again, and maybe, just maybe, needed something from the city, or needed to keep it safe. May took a moment to think about that, before coming up with a small memory.

Ash did say that he had helped save Altomare, before. And, he did send his Latios, along with Pikachu, over to the city to... She didn't know, resave it again? The idea had merit, at least. Maybe, whatever he was doing, needed him to be in multiple places, and that he couldn't leave where ever he was, but he still needed to save Altomare. After all, Altomare was one of the bigger cities in the world, and Ash wasn't the type of person who'd just sit by, and let the bad guys run rampant over others.

In fact, it made too much sense. He'd send his most trusted Pokemon, Pikachu, with a very powerful legendary. The two of them, with Pikachu's experience, and the Latios' supposed strength, could do almost as well as if Ash was there himself. It let Ash fix whatever was wrong, wherever he was, but also let him keep the city of Altomare safe.

Yes. That had to be it. But, that also meant that the city of Altomare was in big, nay, _huge_ trouble. Ash wouldn't split his team so badly for a classic team rocket takeover, at least, not if he had something more important to save. He'd keep Pikachu by his side, unless he actually_ had_ to save the city, yet couldn't be there, no matter how much he wanted to.

Which meant that, May now had a destination. She needed to get to Altomare, and she needed to get there, right now. She'd get there, help save the city with Pikachu from whatever the bad guys were planning, and then, once everything was hunky dory, she'd ask Pikachu to take her to Ash. They could save the city, and still find Ash.

"Mam, Is there, uh, you know, another way to get to Altomare?"

The lady at the counter, to her credit, didn't look surprised at the question.

"Sorry, miss, but all ferries all closed right now, due to Altomare's attack."

May grumbled a bit. She wasn't gonna let that stop her. And, at this point, she had half a mind of just riding Blastoise, but the turtle pokemon wasn't the fastest swimmer, and Altomare was quite a distance away. She needed something faster. "I don't need a ferry, I need a way to get to Altomare. Please, is there any way?"

The woman stared at her for a moment, before sighing. "There's a fisherman that sometimes takes trainers to Altomare. He lives in a house, on the southern beach, through the forest a couple hours in. I don't know if he's there, but that's the only way I know of that could get you there quickly, right now."

May blinked once, before giving the woman a smile. "Thank you so much."

The woman just nodded. "I hope that you find your friend. I really do."

May just gave another nod in return, and turned back to the doors. "Thanks again!"

She had a way now. She was gonna get to Ash, one way, or another.

* * *

Iris sighed in a mixture of worry and boredom, as she sat in the lobby for this "Fortress Relocation" company. If she was honest with herself, she was suddenly feeling some second thoughts. And, it wasn't due to the lobby looking bad. If anything, it looked much nicer than any lobby she had been in before, which was saying something to the Unova-born tranier. It had a massive tv, and ultra comfy couch, and even a mini-fridge filled with complementary soft drinks and snacks. It screamed both wealth and prestige, and it was doing a good job in making her feel welcome. But still, it wasn't enough to dispel her own misgivings.

She was gonna do it. She was gonna leave everything she knew behind, go against her father's words and instead go and try to avenge one of her best friend's deaths. And make the world a better place, all the while. She would be going down a path that she was unfamiliar with, one that she never truly imagined herself following.

But, it'd be for Ash. Even though she had always called him a little kid, she had respected the fact that he always knew exactly what he was gonna do next. He had his route planned out for himself, and he knew what he wanted.

Too bad she couldn't be the same.

"Miss Iris, The manager will see you now."

The young dragon trainer nodded awkwardly, and after a short moment of hesitance, stood up. "Uh, thank you. Uh, Which way do I go?"

To her surprise, the secretary didn't roll his eyes, or look irritated. If anything, he just gave her a comforting smile, and a reassuring nod. "The first door, to the left. After that, there are some signs that will lead you. But, be careful, and don't wander. There is a whole lot of rooms back there, and you could get lost pretty easily if you get off track."

Iris nodded, and offered the kind man a smile in return. "Oh, Thank you."

"It is no problem miss. And I look forward to working with you in the future."

The young dragon trainer just nodded again, and went towards the door on the left, and opened it. And, sure enough, there was a very convenient sign, pointing the way.

"Offices. That's hard to mess up, right, Axew?"

The small dragon simply gave a small coo in response, and burrowed further into her hair. At least she still had him with her, regardless of everything else.

"And so, the brave heroine and her trusted dragon go down the hall, towards their destiny."

The girl started walking down the long, white hall, forcing herself to seem casual. She didn't want to seem like a scared little kid, after all. But, after a minute or two, she found herself at a door labelled, "Manager's office."

The girl stared at it for a moment, trying to gather her courage. This was it. After this, she would be taking the first real step into avenging Ash, and upholding his beliefs. She took a breath in, holding it for a short second, before letting it pour out in a huff. She could do this, all she had to do, was open that door. And then, she could do what Ash would want her to do, and stop monsters from hurting others.

"Well, Axew, it's time. let's get this over with."

* * *

Dawn paced back and forth for what felt like the five hundredth time that day, ignoring both Buneary's and Piplup's worried expressions as she waited near the video-phone at the Pokemon Center.

Ash was missing. She actually couldn't believe it when she had finally gotten the text, after a week and a half in the forest with a dead, uncharged Pokegear that she had... well, forgotten to charge before she left the last Pokemon center. Ash, the trainer boy wonder, the closest thing she had to both a big brother and a mentor, was actually, really, truly missing. At the beginning, she wasn't truly surprised, because, after all, hadn't Ash got lost, every other week? It had only been a matter of time before he mistook a game-trail for a road, and wandered into wilderness, and got hopelessly lost.

But, after getting a response as to that line of thought that she had sent to Brock, she found that it was a genuine, "Ash was _missing_" kinda missing. The kind that, instead of rolling their eyes, everyone was dropping what they were doing, and going on a desperate search, scouring the entire planet to find him. Heck, Professor Oak, _**the**_ Professor Oak, had left his lab to help search for him. The biggest, most qualified, most respected pokemon researcher and poet in the entire world, had left his lab to search for Ash,_ on foot_.

If that didn't tell her how much trouble Ash was truly in, nothing could.

And then, as if to emphasize the fact that it was Ash, and that, where he went, trouble followed, Altomare, one of the most famous cities in the world, got completely and utterly destroyed after a attack by a gang called Team Aqua. Like, in it's entirety. They couldn't even find where the island was, and there was a call for scanning machinery to find out where the_ ruins_ were.

It was terrible tragedy. And, if it followed what she knew about Ash, it probably meant that the world was ending, and Ash, the great and mighty hero of, well, the world, was missing, unable to stop it.

It was almost funny, actually. She had always knew that Ash was special, that he was some amazing Pokemon trainer, and that he would oh-so-often save the world. But now that he was missing, she could actually see how important he actually was. He hadn't been missing for more than a week and a half, and yet, the death toll was already in the millions.

So, they needed to find Ash. Help him save the world, yet again, and make everything right, once more. If Ash was missing, and entire cities were being destroyed, well... that didn't bode well for anyone, let alone Ash.

"Bun?"

Dawn stopped pacing for a moment, and looked down to her pair of Pokemon. Ah, yes, they were probably worried too. And her pacing and looking grim didn't help that fact either.

"Umm, Buneary, Piplup? Could you two go and, uh, get some more Potions from the mart? I'll give you some money, and hopefully Brock will call me by the time you guys return."

Dawn then dug into her pocket, and fished out her wallet, and pulled out several bills. "This should be enough for at least two Super Potions, and a Hyper Potion. Oh, and... get you guys a snack, too. They should have some Stewed Oran Berries there."

The small Penguin nodded dutifully, and took the bills. "Piplup lup-lup?"

"No, I'm fine. You guys just share the snack, Ok? No hogging any of it, alright?"

The small Penguin simply nodded, before grabbing the small rabbit Pokemon's paw, and trying to lead her away. "Lup. Pip-piplup."

"Eary..."

Buneary seemed a little depressed as she stood up, but after a few more tugs, she finally gave up, and stood up from where she sat, and followed Dawn's starter. And, all the while, Dawn watched the pair, until they had finally went around the street corner, and disappeared from her sight. And, the instant they did, Dawn let out a massive sigh.

One of the very first lessons Ash had taught her was that, if you were worried or scared, your Pokemon would be the same. And, for their sake, one often had to fake bravado or fearlessness, even when faced against the worst that could be.

But, if you couldn't fake it, you could at least keep your pokemon from seeing it. Put them in their pokeballs, or have them go do some small, monotonous task that wasn't relevant or important to keep them distracted. Often, a Pokemon's mood reflected that of their trainer's, and it was the trainer's responsibility to keep their Pokemon healthy and happy, above all ease.

That was what a trainer was, firstmost and foremost. A keeper and protector of those they trained. And, if a trainer didn't do that, then they were a failure as a trainer.

And so, Dawn sighed, and shook her head. She had been so caught up worrying about Ash, that she hadn't thought about ensuring that her Pokemon were being cared for. Sure, it had only been a lax of about a few hours, but still.

Dawn made a silent promise not to let her attention slip up again. Keeping up with Ash's values was almost as important as finding Ash, and, if, on the very off chance that Ash had...

No, she refused to think of that. She'd find Ash, and she'd keep her pokemon happy, healthy, and loved all at the same time. But, before she could find Ash, she would have to talk with Brock. Who would call her.

Ugh, she would still have to wait. Patiently. For Brock to finally call her back, so she could get at least an inkling on what was going on, and how she could help.

Waiting. She was terrible at that.

*Ri-*

The very instant she heard the phone ring, Dawn yanked the phone off of it's receiver with almost every ounce of her strength, and shoved it against her ear.

"Hello? Brock?"

The Future Doctor looked slightly surprised at her disheveled appearance, but didn't say anything about it, instead going straight to the point. "Dawn, which region are you in?"

"I'm in Unova. I was actually gonna meet up with Ash, as a surprise when he got to Undella town. Where are you?"

The older trainer sighed, and shook his head. "We just got into Unova. We're actually in Professor Juniper's lab right now, and she's tracked Ash's Pokedex. Er, I don't know Unova well yet, How close are you to Lacunosa city?"

Dawn blinked, before doing some mental math. "Uh... It's the next town over."

Brock gave Dawn a small, relieved smile. "Thank Arceus. That's where it's saying his Pokedex is. We'll meet you there, and, if we're lucky, we'll find Ash there, too."

The young coordinator nodded, and returned the smile, albeit weakly. For some reason, she really doubted that it would be that easy. "Alright. I'll meet you there."

And, like that, the phone call ended. Dawn groaned lightly, before walking over to the nearby wall and picking up her pack. Well, they had a lead, at least. She didn't want to be pessimistic, but, everybody wouldn't be panicking, if Ash was just relaxing in some town in Unova. She highly doubted that he was there.

Now, all she had to do was wait for her wayward Pokemon.

* * *

Horace grimaced as he looked at the report that sat on his desk.

A several hundred million dollar Interceptor, one of his department's own personal ships, destroyed. Destroyed, and no one could figure out _how_.

Sure, they were pretty sure that they knew _what_ did the deed. The claw marks that covered one of the wings of it's wreckage made the fact pretty obvious. But the question wasn't what, but, again, _How_.

After all, there was the fact that the jet could go a touch faster than Mach 6. That it was designed explicitly to outrun literally anything that dared fly in the skies. Normal Lati, Missiles, Bullets, even Sky-Dancers couldn't manage _half_ that speed. It was made for the sole purpose of outrunning just about anything, and flying so fast that it literally needed no other defense, simply due to the fact that nothing could properly target it, let alone properly catch up.

And, it wasn't as if something caught it before it got up to speed, either. No, It had been going full bore, and, not only that, but had been complaining of a bogey of undetermined identity for several minutes before it disappeared off the radar, only to be found, Soul Dew-less, at the bottom of the ocean, surprisingly, bafflingly, almost perfectly intact, a couple hours later.

And, what was worse, they couldn't even get a genuine confirmation of the suspect, beyond the claw marks. Radar, satellite, heck, even psychic scans came up with a literal zilch. They could find a visual on the ship's blackbox, but, as far as scanners went, they had nothing. Heck, even Satellite_ visuals_ had nothing but a small, indistinct blur that, after several moments of following, decided that it was done playing around, and tripled it's speed, simply tackling the damn ship with enough force to shear the thing nearly in half.

As he was pondering this, one of his scientists opened the door, and entered without a word.

"Max, do you have anything for me? At all? Hell, I'll take an _anomaly_ in the visual spectrum at this point."

The scientist in question smiled a little, a weak, humorless smile, but a smile nonetheless. "We got... something. A small, tiny amount of Aquaous energy was picked up on our scopes a few seconds before impact."

Horace blinked in confusion at the word. "That is not my forte, Max. Explain, please?"

"It's a type of energy we discovered during the Orange islands event. It appeared, if only for a couple seconds, just before the Lugia was downed by the other three legendaries. Since then, we've found a couple other flare ups, but... it's rare. What's worse, we haven't been able to link it to anything specifically, the energy showing up rarely, and throughout multiple regions."

Another groan escaped the Admin's lips, and he held his head in his hands. "Do you have any other information on it?"

The scientist shook his head in the negative, forcing the Administrator to groan lightly. Just his luck. They were dealing with an unknown.

"Sir, Executive Bulm is on the line. She is not happy."

Great. Even more pain and suffering, in the form of unknowables. "Put her on the line. Max, if you could?"

His lead assistant nodded, and left the room for a moment, and, once he was sure that he was alone, he turned on the holo-caster. "Hello, Bulm."

"Don't you hello me. Three of my best pilots, gone, along with the Soul Dew, all because of your meddling!"

Horace forced himself to keep his eyes from rolling as he let the angry woman's shout roll over him. Yep, he should've expected as much. More pain, more blame.

"And how, pray tell, is it my fault? After all, I see to recall that you "borrowed" one of my three interceptors, without my permission, or even a hint of a warning. Any mechanical failures, or failings on your pilots, is neither my fault, nor my concern."

The woman on the other end scoffed, but, before she could say anything, Horace continued. "Now, Executive, I apologize, but I am very busy, and have many experiments to overlook, including the search for "my" lost ship. So, I shall leave you to your duties."

"But-"

"Goodbye, _executive_."

Horace groaned as the hologram cut out, and placed his head in his hands in both a mix of irritation, and exasperation. Almost everything that could go wrong, did. All he was missing at this point was-

"_**HORACE!**_"

The admin froze in place for a moment, cursing himself as he felt the overwhelming pressure of the shout strike his psyche. It wasn't even in a tongue he could truly understand, but that mattered little. Lamina had her ways of ensuring that others_ always_ understood her, one way or another.

Horace grimaced slightly, both in irritation, and a small amount of fear, and waited for the furious dragoness to burst through his doors. She wasn't one to get angered easily, but, when she was, he typically had to get something fixed.

And, sure enough, his doors flew inwards, going against their hinges, and instead opening to the inside. Horace grimaced at the sound, but beyond that, he made no outward reaction, instead forcing on an expression of somewhat confused indifference.

"Hello, Lamina. What seems to be the problem?"

The Latias in question glared coldly at him, as if blaming him for something, and Horace found himself rather... confused. After losing the Soul Dew, he figured that she'd be angry, nay, furious, but he didn't expect her to blame him for the failures of others. In fact, as far as it went, his department had very little to do with it, beyond ensuring that Magma and Aqua would be there.

"You lied to me. I trusted you, and you _lied to me_."

Her tone was cold as ice, and, that brought even more confusion to the Administrator. In all honesty, he had no idea what the furious female was talking about, as he had made a point to avoid lying to the giant, super powerful psychic mind reader.

Story of his life. The one time he was genuinely honest to someone, the time he was always upfront and genuine with his intentions, and he got accused of being a liar. Just his luck.

"How so?"

The dragoness didn't respond immediately, instead choosing to growl, and began to pace back and forth throughout his office. It was a habit she had picked up, but it was a rare one, one that belayed her anger and anxiety. "I should've known that you would've lied to me. I never should have trusted a human."

Horace just sat there, stone faced, before repeating himself. If he didn't stop her now, she'd get caught up in an angry little loop, and he'd be stuck with her like this.

"How so?"

"You know what you did. You lied to me about my sister. You told me she was dead. That... She was captured and killed by Aqua. And yet, I found her, in Altomare. She refused to speak to me, acting as if she didn't recognize me. And, you. _You knew this. _You lied to me, to my face, and told me that I got my sister killed."

The human sat there for a moment, in absolute, unending confusion. What the hell was she talking about? There was no way, literally, that her sister could truly be alive. No, they had her body. Nay, Lamina had her damn skull, kept safe in her room, propped up on a pedestal, almost as if in worship. There was no mistaking it; That skull was Lamina's sister. Dozens, nay, hundreds of tests attested to that fact. Both through science, and through Lamina's own psychic scans.

"Lamina, need I remind you, you have your sister's... remains, in your room. It cannot be her."

"Then who is it?" The female's tone had switched rapidly from fury to near sobbing almost immediately, and Horace, had he not been used to Lamina's... temperament, would've been no doubt caught off balance by the speed of the switch. "I felt her... I felt, myself in them. I felt him in them. And... I..."

Horace blinked, and tried to put the pieces together. How could she mis-recognize someone as her sister? She was somewhat insane, yes, but she wasn't that far gone. This was a Lati link, and, if she could sense both her own twin-bond, and her mating bind in the Lati...

And, like that, several little, previously non-working parts clicked into place in the scientist's mind, and Horace froze. It couldn't be. It was literally impossible. They had their remains as well, deteriorated as they may be. And, the scans proved...

Nothing. The scans said little beyond the fact that it could've been the hatchling, but a body that deteriorated, that... rotten, it could-

And yet another cog slipped into place, and he started to gain traction in his own, mental mud. Rocket. They had been duped, and Team Rocket knew that they were searching for a body. And, it all made sense now. The "intact" body of Lamina's sister, preserved carefully, almost lovingly in a powered cooler, yet the ignored, burnt, nay, _destroyed_, body of the hatchling. The knew a rotten corpse couldn't be tested properly, not truly, and that it'd be child's play to make it seem legitimate enough to match the corpse of the Latias that had been "Found" with the hatchling.

And, why hadn't they investigated this further? Ah, yes. They had been in disarray, the organization nearly exterminated, with only a dozen executives and two administrators left. No one had been too concerned with double checking the body. It had been seemingly done, a burnt, rotten husk of a hatchling, in a area where Lati hadn't been for years.

It answered their question neatly and quickly, and let them worry about the more important things they had at the time. Few would second guess an answer they liked, especially when it allowed them to focus on more important topics, and it had fit so well at that.

But now that he knew... it changed everything.

"Lamina... close the doors, please."

The dragoness blinked once, before doing another emotional 180 and going back to fury, offering a glare in return. "What?!"

"Please."

The Latias stared at him for a moment, her eyes searching him for some deception or motive, before nodding begrudgingly, and forcing the titanium doors shut with a psychic yank.

"So, now that we are in private... I think I know who the Latias was."

"It was a Latios." Was Lamina's only reply.

"Very well, the Latios. I think, the answer is obvious. Your sister is very accounted for, unfortunately."

The Latias' face showed a bit of sorrow at that, but Horace continued on.

"However... the same couldn't be said about your child."

* * *

Giovanni growled lightly in anger as he read the report, sitting stiffly in his desk.

The timing for this was terrible, nay, atrocious. Altomare, the shining jewel of the oceans, destroyed in a single day. One of his most prized sections of territory, even if only in name, lost, because Aqua, Magma, and Whirlwind finally decided to make a move at that precious little reserve of Lati, and the giant, glorious honeypot that was the Soul Dew. He should've heard of this before now, but, apparently, either Whirlwind had made a point to keep it from his ears, or that his currently stretched thin Spy-Network somehow managed to drop the ball, and make such a massive screw-up.

The man let out another growl, before looking away from his computer screen, and shoving his finger angrily on the pager on his desk. "Dolarace, What is the status of our teams in Unova?"

His secretary didn't respond immediately, but that was a good sign. It meant that she was bothering to look up the newest update, rather than just reading back the previous report she had already given him.

He'd should have given her a raise. She had been proving herself quite efficient as a secretary, especially for a Pokemon Ranger.

"Three quarters of your teams on on their flights back, sir. But, we can't seem to get a hold of your new executives..."

Giovanni rolled his eyes at that. Such talented, yet stupid members. Want them to steal Pokemon? They couldn't do it, even with some of their best technology. But... Want them to disable a device, steal some schematic, or destroy a target? They could do that in spades. It made no sense, but it was what it was.

"Thank you, Dolarace. You may go on lunch."

The woman gave him a simple thank you, and signed off, and Giovanni sighed as he pressed the button on the underside of his desk. Yes, she had been most effective.

"Persian, please fetch me Jacqueline. I have told her countless times to doublecheck my secretaries backgrounds, and yet, here I am, doing her job myself."

His most trusted companion nodded simply, and gave him a small meow.

"No, of course you don't have to be gentle."

The cat gave a grin at that, and paced off, leaving Giovanni to his own thoughts. He would have to act soon, lest Whirlwind get enough traction to be a genuine threat again.

* * *

Dawn groaned in exasperation as she waited in her chair. She really should've sent her pokemon somewhere a little less... distant to shop. But, hey, she had been expecting another hour before Brock had called, so she needed to buy some time.

But, after another look at the wall, she heard the familiar pitter-patter of her Buneary's feet.

"Ah, took you guys-"

The small bunny ran up to her in a small panic, dropping the tiny bag that she held to the ground.

"Buneary, where's Piplup? I told you two to stay together."

The small rabbit pokemon took a couple breaths to regain her composure, before replying in a panic. "Buneary, Bun-Bun-Bun!"

Dawn blinked in confusion for a moment, before finally forming a reply.

"A Draco-meteor hit... Piplup._"_

_"_Buneary_ Bun!"_

"In the face?"

"Bun."

* * *

**A/N Well, here we are! The next chapter, and the first of Act 2. We got Dawn, May, We have finally got to see Whirlwind in a more personal setting, and got to see where Delia is. Next chapter should be Ash, with a hint of Brock/Misty at the end.**

**So, I have a couple little notes here, before everyone hits me with the reviews. Er, first up, I know the bit about Laminu in the first chapter. She saying she's the mother bit, and all. It's actually relevant to the plot, and, while I cannot tell you much about it, besides the fact that, yeah, it's (Hopefully) as it's supposed to be. 4**

**Next bit! The time is a little wonky, with May and Delia's parts being only minutes after the destruction of Altomare, while Dawn, Giovanni, and Whirlwind's part being hours afterward. So, yeah! That might be an important bit, or something.**

**And, lastly, at least for notes, We finally found out where that Draco-meteor went! So... we got that going for us. XD**

**So, yeah! Here we are! If you have any questions, quibbles, or the like, feel free to give me a PM, or leave a review! I oh so enjoy interactions with others, especially with all of you!**

**Oh! And, because, why not, Here's a Small little Omake/Actual scene that would've ruined the end joke!**

* * *

"Piplup... Do you think Pikachu is ok?"

The small penguin groaned at the question for a moment, before gripping the bag he held tighter. This was the third time she had asked the question since the left the Pokemon center, to retrieve their trainer's "Needed" supplies. "Buneary, it's _Pikachu_. The guy's been in literal shocking matches with the _Big_ Zapados, the one at the Orange islands. If he can try and shock down that, do you really think he'll let whatever it is stop him? He and Ash are probably just saving the world, and it's taking... longer than normal."

The Bunny just sighed, forcing the Penguin to hold back a sigh of his own. She was a worrier, no doubt about it. And, even after several weeks, if not months, of being separated from Ash and Pikachu, the bunny still found herself head over paws when it came to the electric type, to the point that he'd caught her glaring at other Eeveelutions.

The mouse was almost as bad as Ash was, in that way. Whatever those two had when it came to making crushes, it had some dang effective sticking power. He was pretty sure that his trainer was the same as Buneary, just much less... _obvious_ about it. After all, was there really a reason for them to just up and go to Unova? Sure, Cynthia offered for them to join her, but they had their own journey to go on. There was no real reason to accept.

"So, don't worry. I'm sure they're fine, and that whenever they get back, they'll tell us how they saved the multiverse from a giant space-jellyfish by using the power of friendship, or something."

Buneary nodded once, before freezing. "Uh, Piplup, do you hear that?"

It took everything Piplup had to keep from rolling his eyes. "The bunny said to the bird."

"What?"

"Buneary, you have literally the best hearing of anyone I know. If you're not sure you hear it, why would I be able to?"

The rabbit Pokemon didn't respond, and, instead, continued to sit in place. "It sounds... familiar."

"Is it Arceus pronouncing his hate for me again? Because, that's just white noise at this point."

"Piplup, I'm being serious!"

Piplup rolled his eyes, and stood there, holding his half of the supplies. But, after a moment, he froze. He was pretty sure that he heard something too.

And it was terrifyingly familiar. And coming from behind him.

"Piplup, LOOK OU-"


	37. Doctor, doctor

**A/N So, Here I am! Sorry for the wait, but I find the once/twice a month format is a whole lot easier to manage right now, seeing as I've been busy lately.**

**A great many thanks to my Prereader, Grunty, and, without further ado, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

"Ash, wake up."

The male sky-Dancer groaned lightly at the voice, trying his hardest to ignore both it, and accompanying nudge. But, beyond that, he didn't make a move to do much else. He had been having the worst dream, and frankly, he'd rather let his mind settle, before he did anything else.

But, once his mind came fully to it's senses, he tensed up a bit. No, that hadn't been a dream. He had failed, and everyone it the city died. His eyes shot open at that, and he tried to force himself up, before his screaming muscles and a gentle, reassuring paw from his starter stopped him.

"Woah, Ash, take it slow. You look like death warmed over."

Ash forced himself to nod at his starter's voice, before letting out a groan. At the time, he felt mildly hurt, sure, but now that he laid down, it felt like he'd been beaten within an inch of his life. But, what should have he expected? He had hit the water while flying who-knows how fast, and while he had always been... resilient, there was a difference between taking a lot to hurt him, and being basically invincible.

If anything, he should be happy he was still alive. He knew that water wasn't very soft after a long fall from experience. So, with that in mind, Ash slowly forced himself off of the ground with a groan, making sure to bring the Soul Dew that lay against his side as he did so, wincing the whole way. Pikachu was right. His body was beyond stiff, and felt closer to rigor mortis, than anything.

Just another terrible thing. The Lati let out a sigh, and felt the familiar pang of hurt and sorrow rush out, but, before he could feel it coalesce, it... stopped. Ash blinked in confusion, surprised at the feeling of... serenity, before looking down to the small gem he held in his claws.

It was glowing a beautiful, brilliant blue, and, after a moment of staring, Ash put two and two together, and sighed. So, the magic gem could be a security blanket too. Good to know. But, as much as he welcomed the peace, he couldn't help but feel a sort of... annoyance at it, as well. Feelings were meant to be worked out, not pushed aside to deal with later. The gem would only hold him back, in that regard.

Too bad it didn't make him hurt any less, though. He could actually use that one. So, he took an extra moment to steel himself before getting completely off of the ground, and weakly looked around, grimacing as his entire left side screamed at him for his efforts. Sure enough, he was in the forests of Johto, and not in the sanctuary in Altomare.

"Atiae left with that old Latios, Lorip, to go and, uh, figure something out. She'll be right back."

The statement gave the Sky-Dancer a small feeling of reassurance, one separate from the feeling the Soul Dew provided, and Ash nodded, before trying to scratch at his face. Heck, even trying to scratch hurt. "Uh... is everyone... alright?"

The mouse shrugged, before stepping closer, making sure not to touch his injured trainer. "Depends. For the herd? Almost everyone made it, supposedly. But the city... It's completely gone. Atiae's really shook up about it."

Ash gave a slow, sad nod at that. He could imagine. He wasn't doing that good with that as well, and that was with him holding the mind numbing Soul Dew. So many dead, and for what? Some crazy, take over the world scheme of some sort?

"You can't make him do this!"

The injured Latios forced his thoughts away, and instead focused on Atiae's angry voice in the distance. He knew she had a temper, but her anger typically was of the cold persuasion, and as such, hearing her sound... passionate in her anger was a new experience. So, Ash tried to turn his neck towards the sound of her voice, but was instead stopped by his neck screaming at him, forcing him to stopping him halfway.

"Milady, please be reasonable. He, as your claimed, is your successor, and the council, or what is left of it, has approved of his nomination. It is out of our claws, now."

Ash blinked in confusion at Lorip's statement, and turned slowly to face their direction with his entire body. What was he talking about?

"I refuse!"

"I am truly sorry, Princess, but... you have no say in the matter. You have been officially relieved of all duties, until you have proven yourself properly recovered from the loss of your guardianship."

The Sky-Dancer froze in place, and, before he knew it, his teeth clenched together angrily. They were just gonna kick her out, now that the city was gone? And, what, force her to do whatever they wanted?

Not if he had any say in it. He clenched his claws together angrily, barely noting the Soul Dew held in them, and prepared to go towards the pair. If they thought they could just force Atiae to do what they wanted, they would have to go through him. He barely noted the Soul Dew glowing brighter, as if in agreement, as he started to move towards the voices. But, before he could get anywhere, a small Paw grabbed his arm, and a heavier feeling of forced calm washed over him.

He stopped in place, and looked back, spotting Pikachu. The mouse mouthed "Wait", and Ash relaxed a little. If Pikachu thought it was best, he would trust him. But, it didn't mean that he would be any less angry when he got to them.

"I've done all I could, Milady. Every favor, Blackmail, and bribe I could imagine, to get this setup, to make sure that the leader that would take your place was someone you could truly trust, rather than the Council favorite, Merrim."

Ash blinked in confusion at the sentence, and floated in place. What was he talking about?

"I did everything I could, Milady. And, if such a thing came to pass, I would highly doubt that Merrim would've let the matter drop on your claimed issue if he had became the one in charge, and at that point, there would be precious little I could've done to stop him. This was the best I could manage."

There wasn't really a response to that, and Ash grimaced at the thought. Even with his anger and desire to protect Atiae, He really doubted that he would be able to beat Merrim, especially in the state he was in now, no matter how much he wanted to.

"I am truly sorry that it had to go this far, but this is the price we must pay, regardless of what we desire. Now, let us wake your claimed, and tell him what has been decided."

Ash froze, his first instinct being feigning sleep. He now felt that he shouldn't have overheard that, but what was done, was done. But, before he could do anything else, the pair arrived in their clearing, and Atiae immediately shot over to Ash's side upon seeing him up.

"Ash, you're awake."

The male was confused at her... stoic tone. Her body language screamed concern, and yet, she sounded like she was describing the weather, which just added to his already overwhelming confusion. "Uh... Yeah."

The male paused for a moment, before leaning over, and attempting to give Atiae a small, if weak nuzzle. She definitely looked like she needed one, in any case. "What were the two of you talking about?"

Atiae hesitated for a moment, but Lorip took that opportunity to step in. "We were discussing your... newfound status. As the Princess' claimed, should she be found unable to fulfill her duties, another must take her place until she could properly resume them. Which, in this case, would be you."

And, just like that, everything made sense. "So, I'm..._ in charge_?"

Lorip simply gave a small nod. "Yes. The Princess has... delayed me, but I must now bring you to the council."

Ash blinked, rolling the idea around in his head for a moment, before nodding in a somewhat numb form of acceptance. It made sense, and, if he had to be honest, he should have expected to have this topic show up earlier than now. But, hey, better late than never.

Besides, this wouldn't be the first time he had something like this thrust upon him, and he doubted that it would be the last. It was almost normal, at this point. Wherever he went, he was the chosen one, or something like that. And, he never had any say in the matter.

"Alright."

He moved to follow the elderly Lati, but was stopped by Atiae's claw gently grabbing his left arm. "Ash!"

Her tone was a strange mix of irritation, and something that sounded close to hysteria, which made him want nothing more than to stay. But, right now, the world was burning, and he couldn't just sit around, and do nothing. He was both numb off of the Soul Dew, and now that he could properly understand what was going on, he was also in his "emergency mode."

"Ati, It'll be fine. You trust me?"

She stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable, before she finally gave a small nod. "Yes."

He gave her a small, if weak smile in return, and nuzzled her again, forcing down his own dread and hurt. He had to be strong, so, dang it, he'd be strong.

"Pikachu, could you stay with her?"

The mouse looked at him for a short moment, his expression neutral, before finally nodding. "Sure. Be back quick, though."

Ash just nodded, and, for a small moment, thought about giving her the Soul Dew as well. She needed it more than he did. However, as quick as the thought arrived, it was contested by his own internal logic. He would probably need the edge, if he was going to go up against the Council. And, if he was honest... He felt that the Soul Dew wanted to go with him.

And, as sudden as the realization hit, Ash felt his internal anger swell. Stupid magic rocks. They _always_ complicated things.

"Ati, do you... want to keep the Soul Dew with you?"

Never let it be said that he listened to magic, mind-controlling gems.

The female sat there for a moment, before nodding weakly, and Ash handed the gem over, feeling the wave of worry and hurt return the second it left his claws. But, unlike last time, he was ready for it.

"Alright, let's go."

"It will be short. We just need him to be presented to the council for a moment. As much as we should, we are unable to leave the beach until tomorrow; we simply have too many injured and tired to make the move further inland, just yet. So, once we present him to the council, and... perhaps a quick trip to the healer's, he will be free to return."

Ash gave a nod, and watched as the elder Lati began to leave, and followed immediately behind. On the bright side, seeing as he flew using psychic energy, it didn't hurt much to follow him. Small blessings.

"So... Uh, is there anything I need to know, or something?"

"Not truly. You are exhausted, injured, and anguished. At this point, precious little will be expected of you once you arrive, and being there will easily be enough for them. And, they know of your heritage, so they should know better than to hold any misunderstandings against you."

The pair slowly made their way through the forest, passing hundreds of Lati, on the way. But, as they did, Ash looked at the Lati. There was many injured, and he had spotted more than a few crying dragons throughout the group.

"How many, uh..."

"Didn't make it?"

Ash remained silent, and, after a moment, lorip continued. "Seventy three are known to be dead, and we are missing around a hundred. I would suggest not discussing that fact around the council, Amien and Lulu's eldest is amongst the missing."

Ash just nodded sadly, and continued following.

"The Council is just ahead. You are not required to speak, Master Ash, but if you have any concerns, or something you desire to say, do not hold your tongue. Your input is valued, as the new interim leader of the herd. But, remember, the Council members follow you, not the other way around. Do not hesitate to remind them that, should they overstep their bounds."

The Sky-Dancer gave another nod, and forced some steel into his posture. He needed to look strong, like Atiae would. "Alright."

And so, Lorip lead him further into the forest for another moment, before they finally came into a larger clearing. There was several Lati sitting about it it, and, out the twenty or so, he recognized five of the council members. But, as quickly as he arrived, he was ushered into place by Lorip, and the five council members moved into their places, and stared at Ash.

The Sky-dancer forced himself not to fidget, and instead sat in place, ignoring the pleading of his muscles as he forced himself to sit upright. But, as he did so, a small thought came to mind.

Where were the other council members? There had been many more than five earlier. And, out of the five, he only recognized Lulu, Den, and Amien.

Ash thought about the question for a moment, before freezing. The answer was obvious.

"Master Ash. We called you here to inform you that, as of now, that you will be filling the roll as Alpha to the herd, while the Princess recovers. Do you understand?"

The Lati who spoke, Amien, looked at him coldly, and Ash forced himself to nod in response. "Yes."

"Very well."

And, like that, the Latios' shoulders relaxed, and he moved over to the Den, who sat beside him, and leaned against her. The female leaned back, and the pair remained silent.

"You are free to leave, Master Ash."

Ash blinked in confusion for a moment, before looking over to Lorip, who sat beside him. He paused for a moment, before whispering to the elder Lati. "Uh, is that... it?"

Lorip nodded. "Yes. The herd is in mourning, and frankly, has little stomach for ceremony right now. Perhaps, once everyone is recovered there will be a proper ceremony. But, until then, this is all we have."

The Sky-Dancer nodded weakly, and rubbed the lowest part of his neck with a claw. "So... uh, are we gonna go back to Atiae, or...?"

Lorip shook his head, and smiled. "No, Milord. We will be bringing you to a healer. You will need your strength tomorrow, and having you injured will hinder your abilities. We must have that rectified immediately."

The elder Lati then turned around, and began to leave, leaving Ash to sit there for a moment in confusion. "Milord, this way. I will lead you to the healers."

Ash hesitated for a moment, but, once it was made clear that he had no choice in the matter, he began to follow. "Er, I'm fine, I just need some rest."

The shade smiled lightly at Ash's statement, but continued, nonetheless. "I am sure you would be fine, with enough rest. But, you are the leader now, and the herd will rely on you to lead and protect. And, if the herd has a weakened leader, then it too shall be weakened. As such, you get priority over everyone."

The Sky-dancer didn't necessarily agree, but followed Lorip anyway. He would complain if he had a reason to, once he got there.

* * *

"Well, whatever hit ya wasn't playing around."

Ash couldn't help but fidget a bit as the latios ran his claws roughly up his injured side, trying his best to keep from looking uncomfortable the entire time. The healer that Lorip had brought him to was, in a word, strange. For the first part, the male was even smaller than he was, a bit smaller than Atiae, even.

The second part was that he were surprisingly... angry as well, and yet, it didn't seem to be related to the many lati that were laying around, hurt and broken. He almost seemed... naturally grouchy.

"Well, we'll get ya'll fixed up, yer_ highness_."

But, as much as Ash disliked his grouchy demeanor, he found that would've liked being without the drake's snark and sass a bit more. He wasn't in the best of moods himself, and having a healer that acted like the hurt and suffering around him were merely an inconvenience didn't help Ash feel much faith in the Latios, even if he was sure that it was a act.

But, as quick as his irritation rose up, it was dispelled once he felt the healing energy touch his side. The feeling was admittedly amazing, the sensation of his muscles relaxing and unknotting, the pain disappearing almost as if it weren't even there. Before he could stop himself, Ash leaned into the energy, and let out a small sigh.

"Calm down and stop movin', I gotta get yer lower back muscles first, or you'll get all loose in the wrong places, and get all screwed up. There's an actual science ta this, ya know."

Ash forced himself to stop, and tried his hardest to sit in place.

"Just, I don't know, lay down, or somethin'. Tha' old drake will kill me if I fuck up that back of yer's. Never mind wha' the Princess would do to me."

The younger dragon nodded, and did as he was told, but not before giving the "old drake" a look. Lorip simple shrugged and smiled softly, not really bothering to make a comment.

"So... what did ya hit, anyways? 'Cause, whatever ya did was enough to give you a bruise the side of a sedan, but not enough ta kill ya. And, whatever could do tha', usually does the other."

Ash sighed, not really wanting to answer, yet feeling obliged to. The guy was basically his doctor, right now. And as his mom always said, never lie to your doctors. They know both your secrets, and where you live. "Well... I caught up to the jet, and just kinda... hit it."

The healing energy didn't stop, nor did it waver. However, he did hear a amused scoff from the Lati. "So, ya just rammed the damn thing? Eh, if it works, it works. Musta hurt like hell, though, right?"

The injured Sky-Dancer couldn't help but nod, which just earned him another reprimand. "What did I jus' tell ya? Hol' still, damn it. If yer muscles get screwed up, I'll hafta cut out a bit of 'em, and reconnect the ends by claw. And trust me, if ya thin' that hittin' a jet hurt, ya don't wanna know what passes for "Surgery" 'round here."

Freezing up at the threat, Ash, again, forced down a sigh.

"Jake, please stop threatening our new Alpha. We both know that's not even relatively close to how it works."

The healer gave another scoff, and Ash could almost hear him roll his eyes. "Eh, shut it, ya old Drake. If it takes threatenin' ta make the kid sit still, it takes some threatenin'. And I'm not gonna tell some young, freshly mated lass that, nah, I can't save her mate, 'cause I ended up wastin' energy refixin' the "high and mighty" Prince's back, 'cause he _couldn' stay fuckin' still_."

Ash felt a pang of guilt at that, and redoubled his efforts at remaining prone.

"Good, just like tha'. Now, sit, stay. Don't roll over, or I'll kick yer arse."

The young drake did as he was told, and sat on the ground.

"So... threatenin', not even a bit 'o worry. But others gettin' hurt? Makes yer heart ache somethin' fierce. Good ta know."

Ash blinked at the phrase, and almost turned around to look at the Latios, before stopping himself. "Uh, whatchya mean?"

He could hear the Healing Latios scoff, before he got an answer. "Eh, the whole "Human-raised" bit wasn' a exaggeration, huh? Ya really do know diddly shit 'bout us."

The Latios fiddled a bit more with Ash's back, before speaking again. "Well, me Pa didn't raise a heathen, so lemme introduce meself. I'm Jake, Empath, and, I guess a bit of a human raised snot myself. Born and raised in Unova, but got released a while back, when the whole "Whirlwind" thing was in full swing. Pa figured, well, it was either me stayin' in my ball for all time, till shit cooled down, or getting freed. And he wanted ta do the "good" thing, and lemme live a life of me own."

The Empath scoffed, and shook his head. "Too bad Unova isn' the friendliest place for a dragon. But I made it, like everyone always does. But enough whinin'. Yer back's good fer now, so let's get to the sides. Roll over."

Ash did precisely that, and rolled onto his right side , ignoring the jolt of pain his left side gave as he did so.

The rest of the healing was pretty mundane after that, and, after a while, Ash had started to zone out, and instead focus on his surroundings. There was several dozen other Lati in the area, and while a few were up and about, most seemed to be injured, in some way. He could hear some groans and whines of pain, and... a familiar sounding chirrup. Ash blinked in confusion, and tried to subtly tilt his head. Where had he heard that noise before?

"And, done. Next side, roll over."

Ash numbly did as he was told, but, as he did, he tried to look around. But, again, he didn't see anything that helped him recognize the noise.

"Eh, looks like shit, but it's better than it looks. It'll be a minute."

The male simply sat there in acquiescence, before hearing the noise again. "What's that noise?"

The healer didn't respond immediately, and instead gave a small prod to his side, before resuming. "Eh, jus' some hatchling that somebody fished out o' the ocean on their way over. Haven't found anybody who recognizes it, though. They're a spirited little thing; Won't shut the hell up."

All the Sky-dancer could do was nod, before letting the healer work on his side some more. "Just about done. Alrigh', now stretch. Any pain or grindin' in there? Be honest as hell, ribs can have a nasty habit o' pokin' holes in lungs, and I'll need ta fix it now, when it's a easy thing ta fix."

Ash did as he was told, and stretched. There was no pain, beyond a small bit of stiffness, and he couldn't help but smile in relief. "No, it's great."

"Good. Now, I got other pains ta heal, so, if ya'll excuse me."

The drake turned around, and left without another word, and Ash forced himself off the ground. He was feeling much better. And now, all he could think about was sleep.

"Lorip-"

Before Ash could continue, he heard the chirrup again, and, his curiosity got the better of him.

"Hey, uh, Lorip, do you know many hatchlings?"

The elder Lati stared at Ash for what seemed to be several seconds, as if caught completely off guard by the question, before finally giving the male a smile, and nodding. "While I have made no effort of memorizing the herd's children, I am familiar with several. Perhaps, you wish to see the child Jake spoke of, and possibly return them to their parents?"

Ash couldn't help but nod at the suggestion. "Uh, It couldn't hurt, right?"

"Of course not, Master Ash. In fact, it would, beyond doing the right thing, aid you significantly. Returning children safely to their parents does wonders for the herd's moral, as well as your image."

The young drake couldn't help but smile at that. Even though Altomare was gone, there was still some things he could fix. And right now, doing something helpful and good, like returning a lost child, sounded even better than sleep. It meant that, somewhere, someone's life was getting better.

And so, with that in mind, Ash turned towards where he had last heard the noise, and floated in it's direction. There were injured Lati laying everywhere, waiting for a healer, or for family to be healed. But, to his surprise, they were all in good spirits, and were chatting amicably. At least, until he got near. The moment they noticed his arrival, their talk ceased, and they all stopped to stare at him for a moment, before whispers began.

_"I heard he took out a whole fleet to save the Soul Dew."_

_"A whole fleet? Nah, I heard he took out a army."_

_"There's no way..."_

Ash heard some of the whispers, but made a point to ignore them. Right now, he had a mission. To find a small, baby dragon, and return them to their parents. A simple enough task, especially seeing as there was nothing to rescue it from, and all it took was some basic recognition.

"Uh, here, hatchling, hatchling, hatchling?"

Ash frowned at the awkwardly sounding call, and shook his head, trying his best to ignore Lorip's amused look, as well as the now confused expression that some of the surrounding Lati now wore. How did one call for an unnamed, unknown baby dragon, anyway? Was there a term one used to call for them?

*Chirp*

Ash froze at the sound, and turned almost completely around to face it. There was another bunch of injured and hurt Lati in a grassy little section, caught between two tree covered hills, and, from what it sounded, the small dragon was somewhere in there. And so, he floated towards them.

In the end, Ash had almost passed the hatchling, before he spotted it. The child had been tucked up into the side of a tired looking elder Drake, sitting between the older dragon and a nearby tree. And, once he got close enough, he immediately recognized it.

"...Luumi?"

Sure enough, the small hatchling blinked in recognition of her name, and looked up tiredly. Ash moved forward to get a better look, a small smile on his face. He recalled the small, feisty hatchling from earlier, and he couldn't help but feel no small amount of relief upon finding out that she was alright. And so, he moved forward, and, without a ounce of hesitance, moved to pluck the hatchling up.

But, before he could, he froze, and stared at the hatchling, his brain refusing to properly process what he saw for a moment. But, after several seconds of staring, he shook off the shock, and simply plucked the small, tired hatchling off of the ground.

"Aw, Luumi, what happened to you?"

The hatchling was missing an arm. Sure, the injury looked old, as if it had happened weeks, if not months ago, but he knew better than to think that was the case.

"Ya find her? Yeah, Kid got caught up by a Luvdisc. Healed her best I could, but, there's not much I can do 'bout a injury like tha', not without her actual arm."

Ash simply chose to instead focus on the hatchling he held, not really responding to the Latios' words, beyond a small nod. He hadn't really heard the Empath return, but frankly, he didn't care.

"But, at least she made it. There are quite a few that can' say the same."

Ash nodded again, and continued to stare for a moment, before the hatchling finally seemed to recognize him, and gave him a irritable, if tired sounding chirp, and tried to wiggle weakly out of his grip.

"Lorip... do you recognize her?"

The elder Lati sighed, and gave a small nod. "I have indeed looked into her parentage. She is, and has been, an orphan for quite some time now. Her previous parent, a single father, had a penchant for hunting the larger, more dangerous game, and a hunt went wrong. She had been kept in our equivalent of baby-sitting for the entire time afterward, as there were none willing to take her long-term."

Shaking his head, the shade made a small, disapproving tsk sound. "I will make arrangements for her to be watched by someone."

Ash simply sat there, and allowed the information slowly seep in. She was a orphan, had been for a while, and there was no one who really wanted her. The thought made Ash''s heart ache just a little more, and, after a moment, Ash felt the cogs in his mind start turning.

"I can take her."

The Empath nearby let out a bark of laughter at the suggestion, and Ash looked over to him, a frown on his face. "You? Ya don't look like ya can keep yerself fed, let alone a hatchling. It's jus' best ta let the herd watch her."

Ash didn't even feel a ounce of hesitation as he answered. "I can watch her."

The smaller Latios hovered up, and stopped a few scant inches away from his face. "This isn't some tiny deal, kid. This ain't some babysittin' gig where ya can just drop her off when yer done. There's a reason why she's been watched by a half dozen Lati, and never jus' brought home. It's a whole helluva lot nicer to let her have no parents, instead of havin' her imprint on a ma and pa who want nothin' of her. You take her, ya won't be able ta just back down, and give up."

The empath stared at Ash for a moment, before continuing. "This isn't some temp gig, it's ya sayin' ya'll be this little runt's parent. Are ya really gonna do that, and jus' jump in, headfirst, without even thinkin' it through, or even talkin' to the Princess? There ain't no temp parents in Lati herds. It's a big fuckin' deal."

At that, Ash felt a small, tiny bit of hesitance, before looking down at the small, tired hatchling that sat in his arms. She had stopped squirming, and instead, had finally relaxed, and was staring up at him in irritation.

Jake was right. It was impulsive, bullheaded, and... well, a stupid thing to rush into. But, when had he ever hesitated in doing the right thing? Right here, was a child who needed someone, and that someone he could be.

And, once he became a human again, he could bring her along with him, and support her even better as a trainer. He could do it.

The Sky-Dancer smiled at the thought, before shrugging. "My mom always said, the right things to do are the hardest."

The Empath snorted at that, before shaking his head, and backing away. "Fine. It gets her ass outta my feathers anyway. But ya better not come back cryin' to me, when ya end up not gettin' any sleep."

Ash just shrugged, before smiling. "Eh, I'm sure I can handle it."

And, with that, the Empath sighed, gave Ash a small smile, and floated off.

"Milord."

The young Drake grimaced at the low tone that Lorip held, and turned to face him. He had forgot that, yes, he had more responsibility then he could probably handle as it was, already. "Er, I'm-"

"Do not dare apologize."

Ash blinked at the cold severity in the elder Lati's tone.

"What you're doing, it is utterly, completely foolish. Taking on a child, without thought, without talking to the Princess for her input. Nay, it is beyond foolish, it is borderline ignorant."

The younger drake winced at the Lati words. He knew it was a dumb idea, but still.

"However, your "mother" is correct. The right things are the hardest to fulfill, and rarely are they the "intelligent" thing to do. I suppose, in the end, I approve. A foolish decision it may be, but, ultimately, it is the "right" thing to do."

Ash let out a sigh, and nodded, and looked back down to the small hatchling in his claws. She had taken to chewing lightly on the claw closest to her, and was currently preoccupied with doing so.

"I am quite sure you'll make an excellent father, Ash."

And just like that, the significance of what Ash just accomplished hit him, and he nearly choked on his own tongue in shock.

Atiae was gonna kill him.

* * *

"Misty, hold on, I still gotta call May."

The young red head groaned in disappointment at that, and gave Brock a small, if fruitless glare, before letting out a huff. "Well, hurry up. I'm starving, and about to drop any second."

Brock rolled his eyes at Misty's grumbling, but frankly, he was in the same boat. The flight, as well as the screening, had took almost fourteen hours, due to the extra screening Misty had "Earned" as well as the sudden, unknown redirection they had been subject to moments before they were about to land, which added an extra three hours on what was already a nine hour flight. And never mind the fact that the redirection also made their hotel reservations completely useless.

So, basically, they were dead on their feet.

"I know, I know. But it's the last call. And still, what if she already found Ash? She should already be in Altomare by now, so, she should _at least_ know more than us."

Misty just gave a small grumble, before nodding. "Fine... I'll just, I don't know, go watch the news or something."

The older teen just smiled, and nodded as the red head tiredly walked off. She had been doing surprisingly well, considering the circumstances. "I'll only be a minute."

Brock then turned back to the phone, and quickly inserted his Pokedex, and brought up his contacts list, all while mentally cursing his lack of a Poke-gear. Had he spent the money on one, they could be making this call in the safe, pleasant sanctity of their room.

But, that was neither here, nor there. He scrolled through his contact list for a couple seconds, before stopping at May Maple. He deftly pushed the call button, and waited for several seconds before the machine gave him a very unexpected beep.

Call could not be connected.

Now, this wasn't the most uncommon occurrence. If she was on her Pokegear, or if she was in the woods, away from civilization, there was a high chance that the call simply couldn't be connected. Dawn had fell under that; After all, she had been in the woods for a while. But, while Dawn was in the middle of nowhere, May should be in Altomare, the biggest City-state in the world. Somewhere that he doubted lacked cell coverage.

So, he simply pressed call again.

And, yet again, he immediately got the same error message. Call could not be connected.

"Brock!"

Brock scowled at the red head's shout, before turning said scowl towards the phone. The dumb thing must be on the fritz. It wouldn't be the first time the phones had gone down while they were on their journeys. But still, apparently, once Ash was out of the picture, the world was out to get them.

**"Brock!"**

Giving a small growl, Brock turned towards the shouting red head, his irritation leaking into his tone. "What?"

He didn't get a response, so he let out a huff, and walked over to the red-head, who was glued to the small news kiosk. But, upon spotting her expression, he felt his anger disappear, and he instead looked to the kiosk's screen, and read the prominent headline.

Altomare destroyed.

Brock stared at the headline for several seconds, trying to properly wrap his mind around the implications for several moments, before feeling his heart stop.

May.

Brock immediately turned around, and rushed back to the phone, and desperately retried the call.

Call could not be connected.

* * *

Horace sighed, and leaned back in his chair, feeling the stress of the situation take it's toll on him. This was, technically, treason. But, no one would or could possibly know, and, perhaps, it would be more effective in the end than the original plan.

He could do it his way, rather than the council's way. But... it wouldn't be easy to pull it off, nor would it be easy to pacify the council and allow him this chance, especially after the loss of the Soul Dew.

"Please, help me. I'll... I'll do anything."

The Admin shook his head, before sighing. He could do it. But, he would need Lamina's complete assistance and cooperation. He would need her to break every last remnant of morals she had, to be able to pull it off.

So, he slowly rose his head up, and looked the Latias in the eyes. "I can help you."

"Thank you-"

"But, only if you do as I say."

The Latias froze, before nodding in desperation. "Anything. Please."

"We need to distract the council. But, to do so, we need to give them something they cannot pass up, something to turn their attention away from the renegade Lati herd. But, just as luck would have it, we have a tasty, weak little fish already. Aqua lost a majority of their members in Altomare, and, through a little propaganda and luck, has been framed for the destruction of the city. So, they are being hunted. Now is the time for us to finish them off, once and for all."

He spun his chair slowly around, and stared at the wall, mindlessly watching the shadows on the wall move slightly. He hated this. He was a scientist, a studier of biology and life. Not a spy-master, nor a general. But sometimes, science required sacrifices to move forward.

"So... I need you to kill Archie. I need you to destroy him, and drag his body back here. If you play the part of the loyal pet, the council will not question you,nor your actions. They will see you as a Pokemon, and little more."

He knew what he was asking. And, contrary to how she seemed, he knew that, deep down, Lamina had a small, innocent part of her soul left. Too bad killing it was what the price she would need to pay.

Lamina blinked, before nodding. "I... Of course."

"Once Aqua is gone, we will turn our focus on finishing off Magma. They were very cautious, and as such, lost little at Altomare, So they will take time. And, the longer we hold that off, the better chance your son has of making it our alive. Right now, they are easy to track, and even a fool could hunt them. But, if buy them some time... They would be able to escape. The longer we take, the more resources we use, the better off they will be. And, once we have "lost" them, that is where you, my dear, become invaluable. And that is where we will be able to control the board."

The female Changeling nodded again, and Horace sighed, again watching the shadows. "Well, you know what to do. Get on it, and don't come back until Archie is dead, and you have his corpse."

At that, there was a bright flash of light, and the Latias was gone.

He couldn't help but sigh as he felt her overwhelming presence disappear, and after a moment, he looked to the floor.

"Darkrai, I need your assistance."

The Pokemon silently materialized out of the shadows on the floor and walls, and, in a moment of weakness, Horace gave the Pokemon a smile, before cupping the side of it's face gently. "I need your help."

The dark type simply crooned, and Horace smiled a bit more.

"I know... But still, it is for the best. I need you to go and... cause a distraction for me. The Pokemon league leaders will be gathering soon in Celadon, and will be planning a defense. I need you to go and listen in for me. Listen in on their plans, and, after you've heard them, kill as many as you can. Don't take any risks, and be safe. Can you do that for me?"

The dark type just gave him a small, mischievous smile, and Horace couldn't help but shake his head in amusement at her small, almost inaudible coo.

"Thank you."

And, just like that, the pokemon seemingly disappeared from his sight, and Horace found himself alone. And so, he leaned down, and opened up a drawer, and pulled out a small bottle, pouring it into a glass he brought along with it.

He grabbed the glass, and lifted it into the air.

"To Pokemon."

* * *

**A/N Drama, drama, drama, angst, angst, angst. Dangit, I think we're due for some light hearted stuff. **

**Like Trivia! **

**Originally, in the story's planning, Lati were actually the "guardian" pokemon. Their job was, pretty much, assisting and aiding the other legendaries whenever things went down. Ash was gonna be, in the beginning, the only one who was actually doing his job, even though he didn't know it.**

**As for why they were being hunted, originally, it was because they always stopped the "evil villains" from succeeding, and basically got in their way. So, Several evil organizations put a massive bounty on them, and they were hunted to extinction, with the sole remnants being Ash, and Latias/Atiae. It was gonna be less "Stop the evil" and more "The last dragons" kinda bit. But, that idea was scrapped pretty quickly, as it was deemed far too dark, and with little actual plot.**

**So, tell me what ya thought of the story so far! Be it in PM, Review, smoke signals, or even through laser pulses sent from space! **

**(The last two will necessitate the need of a bit of forewarning first, as well as some time for me to set up/repurpose the ol' LADAR transmitter.)**


	38. Introductions are necessary

**A/N Here's a chapter, just so I can say I can update whenever I want. XD**

**It's shorter, but, hey, it's been a day or two, at most. **

* * *

In the end, it took Ash about a half hour to properly gather up the courage to start his return to Pikachu and Atiae. And in that half hour, the small hatchling graduated from gnawing on his claw, to nibbling on just about anything she could properly reach in a attempt to properly convey her irritation. The bites were gentle, and they didn't do much beyond reminding Ash that, yes, she still existed and, yes, she had teeth, but still. He had to think of a way to broach the subject properly once he actually got there.

"Aw, what am I gonna do, Luumi?"

The hatchling's only response was an attempt to, once again, pull out the feathers on his chest, using only her mouth. The attempt, like the many before it, failed, with the feathers being both too short, and too well attached, for the hatchling to do more than give them a gentle tug.

But, even if she was too small to do any damage physically, that didn't stop her from causing a tiny, hatchling sized roar upon the failed attempt. But, as her size dictated, it did little more than sound like a louder than normal squeak.

"I know, but... This was kinda rushed."

And, it certainly was. After all, he did just publically adopt a child. There was no real going back now, and frankly, he wouldn't even if there was the chance to. But while he didn't regret the choice, he did regret the situation he now managed to get himself in. After all, he had to go back toAtiae, his... claimed? Wife? Fiance? He wasn't really sure, but he had to go back and tell her that, yes, they were now parents, and no, he didn't really both to ask her about her opinion about it.

And, never mind what Pikachu would think. The mouse was always on his tail, telling him that, yes, it was dumb to jump up and try to grab him from Team Rocket's balloon, or that it was dumb to just stick him in a metal, airtight canister while he went for a little, harmless dive to the middle of some sunken sea temple. Ash shuddered to think what Pikachu would say when he found out that he adopted a... "Affectionate" little dragon as his daughter.

There would be no living with him, after this.

But, he couldn't stay away forever. He had a small, exhausted little hatchling who, beyond all reasoning, refused to go to sleep, regardless of how comfortable he tried to make her or how he cradled her, and instead chose to nibble, chew, and gnaw on just about anything she could reach.

Maybe she was teething. She was probably around that age, and he distinctly remembered his Phanpy doing the exact same a little while after it hatched. But, she had to be tired. She had lost an arm just a little while ago, and he doubted that she somehow got a nap in.

A nap sounded nice. He himself was tired as well, not to mention just a hint hungry. So, his course was clear. He needed to just bite the bullet, and pull it off like a band-aid.

"Well... Luumi, ya ready to meet your new mom and uncle?"

The hatchling didn't verbally respond, but she did try to bat at his intruding right claw again with her remaining arm in response. He couldn't tell if it was out of irritation, or out of playfulness, but the gesture made him smile a bit, nonetheless.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Lorip, who had been remaining in steadfast silence beside him the entire time, gave a snort in amusement. "You finally ready, Milord?"

Ash just gave a small nod, and sighed. "I guess."

The pair of Lati, and the hatchling, began to move forward, back towards the clearing that Atiae and Pikachu had been left in. And, as the pair got closer, Ash felt what little courage he had built up start to falter.

"Uh, maybe-"

"Do not fret, Master Ash. It will all work out, in the end."

Ash sighed at the older Lati's reassurance. Sure, it was easy to say that_ now_, but it didn't help him feel any better when he was walking straight into the literal dragon's den. If anything, it felt like a useless platitude.

"You know, I once found myself in a very similar situation, once."

The Sky-Dancer looked over to the elder drake in a mixture of interest, with a side helping of suspicion. For some reason, he highly doubted it. "Oh?"

"Yes. You see, When I was young... Well... younger, and first became mates with my love, we had a small... disagreement. I was, at the time, the guardian of a human settlement in Hoenn, and she was part of a herd that often passed through there. The problem happened when we had our first child."

All Ash could do was nod, and listen. He was intrigued, now.

"You see, the herd my Mate came from, was, well... rather old fashioned, and superstitious. They had all sorts of old, mindless rituals, and beliefs that made little sense to me. But, I tried my hardest to respect them. But, then, our first egg hatched."

The elder Lati had a small, fond smile on his face, and he shook his head. "She was a most beautiful gold, and the instant I saw her, I loved her dearly. However, the herd, as well as my mate, thought she was an ill omen. "A golden daughter, born in a time without strife." She was immediately hated by her mother, and her herd. The stress nearly tore the two of us apart, my mate and I. And that is saying something, for I cared deeply for her."

Shaking his head, Lorip let out a small chuckle. "She was such a little ray of sunshine. So, I took her and kept her with me, while her herd continued to roam. While I doubted that my mate would harm her, or truly neglect her, I knew that she wouldn't have been welcome, and sometimes, a lack of love is worse than active abuse."

"And for a while, it worked. For the very first three years of her life, she was happy. She grew quickly, and she was the happiest little hatchling anyone could ever desire. But then, the town I watched over caught fire. And, for three days, regardless of what we tried, the town burned."

Ash felt his breath hitch, and froze for a moment.

"Admittedly, almost everyone made it out of there alive. A few deaths from the humans, and a single injury from those who assisted me due to a heroic attempt at saving some children from a school. But, after three days, there was no town left for the humans to live in, and no town to protect. The people dispersed, and I was left without a guardianship. So, I joined my Mate's herd, once they came back around."

Lorip let out a sigh at that, before shaking his head.

"Oh, I apologize, I got lost in my memories. We are almost there."

Ash blinked at the abrupt end at the story, but, after getting a look at the elder Lati's face, he nodded. Lorip was right; They were almost there, and if the elder dragon didn't want to continue, he wasn't going to force him. Ash of all people knew the sanctity of one's personal stories.

"You are doing well. I've seen the bravest of Lati turn tail and run, when faced with the concept of an angry mate. Especially when they are to go and confess their own sins. I dare say, I'm impressed."

The young drake smiled weakly at the praise, and tried to ignore the small, still squirming hatchling in his arms as she once again took to biting at his claws. He could do this, he had to do this.

"We are here. And it is here that I will make my leave."

Ash felt his heart skip a beat, and he did a double take toward where the elder Lati had been. But, just as he had said, he was already gone.

"Oh, uh-"

"Ash!"

The Sky-Dancer froze up, and turned around, only to spot Pikachu running towards him. Oh no, _hewasnotreadyforthis-_

Before he could stop him, the mouse jumped up happily, and landed on his shoulder, giving him a small nuzzle in the crook of his neck the instant he was able. "Took ya long enough. We thought they decided to eat you, or something."

Ash just let out a nervous, weak chuckle, and nodded. "Oh, uh, yeah."

"Ash."

The male heard the cool, if relieved tone of Atiae, and turned to see her calmly.

"I'm glad to see that you're alright. But...who's hatchling is that?"

The male froze for a moment, not expecting to be put in the spotlight so quickly, nor expecting Atiae to return to her more... formal way of speaking. But, after a moment of hesitation, his mouth got impatient.

"Ours."

The reply leapt out of him before he could properly register what he had said, and, as a return for his inability to keep his mouth shut, he got something he didn't expect to get. A small, genuine, if tired, smile.

"Huh. Why didn't you tell me? I would've liked to have been there for our daughter's birth."

Her amused expression quickly died, however, and, once again, the previously tired, emotionally drained one returned. "But, in all seriousness, who's is it?"

Ash blinked in surprise at her unexpected joke, as well as the quick death of her good humor, before swallowing. How exactly was he supposed to say that he wasn't actually kidding?

"Er, uh... Well, she's a orphan and all, so... technically, she _was_ no one's when I found her."

Atiae simply blinked in confusion, before giving him a very... confused stare. But Pikachu, on the other hand, groaned, and climbed further up his neck, to sit on the very top of his head, before hanging down, and looking at him, albeit upside down, right in the eyes. "Ash... _Really_?"

All Ash could do was nod gently, before giving out a small, exhausted sigh. This had been poorly thought out, poorly planned, and poorly executed. He was three for three for the "You're stupid" bingo. "Really."

"I don't understand."

Both Ash and Pikachu turned to face Atiae as she sat there, her expression now one of complete bewilderment. "Your jokes make little sense."

Ash grimaced a bit at that, and tried to think up a proper explanation. But, while he was trying to think of a response, it was Pikachu who took the reigns. "Oh, Er, let me introduce you. This here, is now Little "Hellbeast" Ketchum. But, seeing as we probably shouldn't call her that, I guess "miss-bites-alot" will do."

Atiae simply blinked, and did little else.

"Alright, uh, Atiae... I may have, kinda sorta, well... adopted her. Just a little."

"...Just a little."

All Ash could do was nod, before trying to put on a smile. "Just a little."

"And you thought that, instead of asking me, you'd just bring her in, like one would a stray, found out in the rain?"

Well, when she put it that way, it sounded really, really dumb.

"Uh, yeah?"

Atiae continued staring for a moment, her expression still one of profound confusion as she continued to process what he had said. But, after a moment, to his surprise, she let out a bark of a laugh. She shook her head, a small smile on her face, and looked at him again, before letting out another bout of laughter, this one deeper. He was caught off guard by her amusement, but, after a moment, he started to chuckle along side her, feeling a surprising wave of relief.

The pair laughed for several seconds, before, finally, Atiae managed to calm down enough to talk. She was still grinning however, when she finally managed to speak.

"Never...*Ha* In my life, *Hee* Did I ever think I could be so absolutely furious with you."

She ended the sentence with a chuckle, and wore an enormous grin the entire time. But, after Ash caught what she said at the end, he froze.

"Uh...?"

He started to back away, but before he could get anywhere, Atiae disappeared in a bright flash, and he immediately felt his ear tuft get caught in some teeth.

"WOO MOWON!"

Ash couldn't help but yelp, and tried to reflexively follow the painful pulling sensation.

"Owowowowowow-"

And, just as quickly as her biting started, it stopped, and Ash rushed forward in an attempt to avoid getting his ear recaptured. Once he got enough distance, he ducked behind a nearby tree, and poked his head out to try and spot his attacker, all while the small hatchling in his arms resumed her angry squirming, once again re-incited by the jossiling she had received when Ash got his ear claimed by the Angry Princess.

And, once he spotted Atiae, he found that she was glaring at him and holding the Soul Dew with much more force than was necessary, and he could feel her furious anger rolling off her in massive, psychic fueled waves.

"I-"

"Ash, I'll handle this."

The dragon couldn't help but turn his head towards the voice, and spotted Pikachu, tangled awkwardly in the branches above. He was upside down, and hanging on, only by a literal tail. Which only served to make the semi-serious expression on his face more comedic.

"Pikachu, how'd you-"

The mouse's stern expression softened immediately, and he looked down to Ash, and gave a small, Mareepish smile. "Er, wasn't holding on. You kinda sent me flying. Anyway!"

Pikachu then gave a few small swings, before managing to right himself, and immediately after, jumped down, and landed in between the pair of dragons. "Atiae. Let's talk about this. Use your words."

All Ash could do was look at the mouse incredulously. "What is there to say?! I don't recall asking Ash to make me a mother!"

"And I don't recall you asking Ash to be your husband."

The instant the words left the electric type's lips, Atiae froze, feeling the statement dig into her. She couldn't help but feel her breath hitch, and, for a split second, she felt a curious mix of anxiety and rage surge through her. How dare he?

But... at the exact same time, he was right. She never asked Ash for his consent. The fact roiled around for a split second, before the fury, the rage that had been building up for the past several hours peaked, and she felt it come to a forefront. She shot a poisonous glare at the mouse, but Pikachu returned one in kind. And, for several moments, they simply sat there, not giving an inch. But, after what felt like an eternity, something... snapped. Atiae felt the desperate need to let her fury out, to let her anger free, and it took all she had to turn around, and pour that rage into her free claw, forming a vicious psycho-cut. The swing severed several trees, and, after going through what seemed to be fifty feet of forest, it finally died out.

"Damn you, mouse."

And, just like that, her rage broke. Her rage was spent, and all that was left was her insecurities, her worries, fears, and sorrow. Atiae couldn't do much else but let out a long, if shaky breath through her nose.

"Uh... Ati? Are you ok?"

The Latias didn't respond immediately, and instead took a few more breaths before being able to properly answer. "Your mouse... is dumb."

It wasn't her best response. But right now, she didn't care. She was hurt, tired, and broken, and all she wanted to do was just lay down, and do nothing. So, she did just that for a moment, floating in place, and holding the Soul Dew. But, after a moment, she felt a small pang of rage return, but, in a fit of spontaneity, she turned, and threw the Soul Dew at a tree.

It hit the tree with a dull clunk, and landed at it's base. After a moment, it flared a brilliant purple, seemingly in irritation, but she paid it no heed. She didn't care what the damn thing thought right now.

"Damn gem."

"Uh... Why'd you do that?"

An excellent question. And it was one that didn't have a real answer. So, she simply growled lightly, and, for the first time since she could remember, pouted.

"I am... incensed. I don't need a reason."

Ash blinked at the... surprisingly immature response, and did nothing as Atiae then slumped down on the ground, placing her face into the dirt. And, all Ash could do as she did so was stare. This was, surprisingly, the most... _Latias_ as he had seen her act. This was, in the wierdest fashion, the most emotional, exposed that he had seen her, and, in a moment of clarity, he was reminded of the kind, gentle, rambunctious and over-emotional Latias he had played with when he had first arrived at Altomare.

He felt another pang of sadness at the memory, before shaking his head, and forcing the painful memories down. Looking back didn't help him, he needed to focus on the present. Which was a exposed, weakened and tired Atiae, who had opened her shell for a short moment, if only out of sheer exhaustion, and a crippling low blow from his starter.

Which meant that now was the best time to introduce her to her new... daughter. Ash moved a bit closer, albeit with caution, and looked down at the squirming, irritated hatchling. She wasn't biting or nibbiling on him anymore, and, instead, had chosen to aim her ire towards the Latias that was currently face down in the dirt. "So, uh... You wanna see the hatchling now?"

All he got was a small grumble, and Ash took that as a yes. As such, he placed the hatchling beside her head, ignoring both it's indignant chirp and attempt to stay in his claws, where she seemed to think it was safe, before backing away slowly.

And, the instant he was away, the Hatchling, in all it's wisdom, chose that moment to let out a small, if angry chirp, and claimed Atiae's ear tuft in her mouth.

"Ow! Release me, Interloper!"

Atiae reflexively tilted her head towards the hatchling, trying her hardest to minimize the pulling, but frankly, the child wouldn't have it. Try as she might, she couldn't get the infant dragon to release her ear, and her attempts at berating it down only garnered muffled, angry chirps.

"Heh, I think I like your daughter, Ash."

* * *

**A/N So, here it was! I had fun writing it, but, if it's wonky, please, please Pwease tell me. **

**So, if ya have any questions, complaints, or comments, feel free to tell me in a Pm, A review, through Morse code, or by using the Storylover Vodhr *(trademarked) Complaint tube! All the complaint, none of the tube!**

***Please note, Complaint tube is not suited for positive comments. The loss of legs, hands, or the sense of smell are common side effects of the complaint tube. Please do not use the complaint tube for gerbils, hamsters, or fathers that smell of elderberries. If one is injured using the complaint tube, please use the complaint tube to send your complaints. One should not use the complaint tube if one is sober, intoxicated, pregnant, or covered in bees. All user rights are lost upon using the complaint tube. User may experience vertigo, loss of balance, uncontrollable vomiting, controllable vomiting, explosive and implosive diarrhea, and occasional combustion after using the complaint tube. All rights reserved.**


	39. A Beach, some Ash, and REGIIIIIIIIIIIICE

**A/N**

**Tem back from Coolig!**

**Tem learn many new things! Like how to make new chapter, Ya!**

* * *

May, for the fifth time in the previous hour, looked at her Pokegear in exasperation.

No signal.

So much for buying that supposed "supercharged" signal receiver. She always knew that Johto had poor reception in the wild, but she figured, with the extra oomph on her side, she'd be able to keep at least the GPS up and running. But, nope, no signal, in any way, shape, and form.

A complete waste of 300 dollars.

The thought brought her already dismal mood even lower. She needed to think of the positives. Such as the fact that she was mobile, and that she had a lead. And the fact that she was technically incapable of getting lost. After all, she was looking for a dock on the side of the beach, which meant that it was almost impossible to miss. If she hadn't found it yet, she simply hadn't gone far enough.

Unless she somehow managed to walk right on past it.

"Ugh, why can't anything ever be easy?"

The girl let out a sigh, before looking into the sky with a mixture of worry and exasperation. The sun was about to set, and, with it, her chances of finding the dock safely. She knew better than to search for it in the dead of night, where she could get hopelessly, irrevocably lost. She had already done so earlier in her journey through Johto, and her only saving grace was the fact that, after three days of wandering, she managed to actually get a signal on her Pokegear.

But now, with no signal for her GPS to guide her, if she managed to get herself hopelessly off track, she would waste time she couldn't bear to lose. Finding Ash was paramount, but even if time was of the essence, the price of getting lost was far too high. An extra twelve hours was better than wasting who-knows how long before she could find her way back on track.

So, camp it was, then. No matter how she wanted to continue to search. No matter how important finding Ash was.

No matter how much it ground against every instinct that she possessed in her mind, body, and soul.

May let out a long, drawn out growl out of frustration, before throwing her pack onto the sand. She'd make a quick camp, right outside the beach, and go immediately to sleep, waking the very second there was enough light to continue.

"Blaziken! Come on out!"

She threw the pokeball down, and, immediately after, the fire type materialized. "Blaziken, can you set up the camp? We're gonna have to wait here for the night."

May's starter stared blankly at her for a moment, as if judging the situation, before simply gave a nod, and May smiled weakly. Her Pokemon were no doubt just as stressed as she was. Once this was over, she'd definitely have to let them go to a Poke-Spa or something. "Alright, I'll go get some food and firewood. I'll be right back."

After that, May simply turned around, and headed straight for the woods. She was sure she'd find something edible. Edible berries and roots were common in Johto, much to her relief, and she didn't want to dig into her supply of prepackaged food just yet.

And so, adding that stressful thought to the top of continually growing worry, she continued into the forest, and began searching.

* * *

Atiae let out a small, weak sigh, as she snuggled once again into Ash's side, ignoring the small, tiny snores of the hatchling that laid between them along with the much large rumbles of Ash, and instead, focused on the horizon.

The sunset was very different from this angle. In Altomare, as long as a building wasn't in the way, one could watch as the sun slowly sank into the ocean. But here? If it wasn't the trees, it was the hills. If not the hills, it was the mountains. She had lost sight of the sun a while ago, and yet, the sun had still yet to properly set, painting the sky a deep orange.

But that fact didn't mean Ash couldn't fall asleep, nor could the hatchling resist the impending night's allure as well. The pair had fallen asleep almost the instant they had laid upon the ground, and now, the pair added a dose of white noise to the already noisy forest that they resided in.

And yet, Atiae couldn't find it in herself to pursue sleep. Her mind was racing, even now, and she doubted that she'd be able to sleep properly for quite some time, for a wide array of reasons.

Altomare was gone. She knew it, both consciously and unconsciously, and that fact refused to lay dormant. It rumbled inside her mind, growled and roared, and it refused to stay silent. Dread, sorrow, and fury all flooded her mind along with it, and all together, she found herself not only unable to sleep, but restless.

She needed to move. To fight, to vent, to... something. She couldn't just sit here, and allow this thoughts and feelings to roil within her. She had to be the leader she was supposed to be, not some simpering sow who couldn't take an insult without breaking down in tears.

Even if she technically wasn't capable.

But, regardless of ability, she _needed_ to do her duty. She needed to fix this, somehow, someway, Or find a bandaid, a stop-gap measure to keep her from breaking down the second pressure was placed upon her.

She needed to be alone.

And so, Atiae gave Ash one final nuzzle, making a point to focus on the small smile his face made when she did so, before rising up off of the ground silently. She then shook her head out of a mix of exhaustion, and exasperation. She needed to vent, properly.

So, she needed privacy. Somewhere where she could allow her guard to finally come down, without the fear of someone watching.

At least the answer to that was simple. She knew where the herd was, and, frankly, while she knew that her shades would try and follow, she knew that they couldn't follow what they couldn't track. So, she grabbed the Soul Dew off of the ground, and, with a short moment of concentration, built up some psychic energy, and teleported as far as she could.

The energy use was surprisingly negligible for the first jump, as was the second. The third drained her a bit more, and the fourth, well, it left her a bit winded. But, sure enough, once she came to a stop, she tried a psychic scan, she found herself completely, entirely separate from the herd. Far enough away to avoid being found quickly, even with the Soul Dew.

In fact, she had made it halfway to the mountain the the sun had sunk behind. Dozens, if not hundreds of miles away. Far enough to keep herself secluded. She was free to do as she wished.

But, once that fact fully sunk in, she found that, she wasn't really sure _what_ to do. She never really had the opportunity to act out her frustrations in complete seclusion. Before the herd, she had her brother, and back then, she didn't have any genuine, desperate need to vent. And after her brother, she had spent that week with Ash, who had refused to let her suffer alone.

And after that, she had the herd to deal with. She had taken to simply meditating, or being petty and nitpicky when she had reached her limits on stress and internal hurt. But now?

She could do anything she wanted. She could scream, cry, or even lash out without worry that she'd hurt someone, or make an enemy. She could lay waste to the surrounding forest, cleanse it all with her rage and dragonfire, and all that would be lost would be some trees. Trees that had no genuine, irreplaceable worth to even the local pokemon.

The concept was... strange. Sure, she had vented using violence before, but that was more akin to doing her job with a tad more force than what was needed. She never had the choice to simply lash out, with the possible exception of using her claw to break her own table.

But... That had felt good, if only for a tiny moment. She had put Merrim in his place, and had vented some of her frustrations onto the poor slab of stone.

It would be so easy.

Atiae rolled that idea around in her head for a moment, before slowly floating towards a nearby pine. It was tall, magnificent; almost regal, in a way. Trees had always interested her, in the past. They were permanent, in their own special way, yet, oh-so fragile. They sat there, strong against the elements, unwavering, and yet, completely at the mercy of the world that moved around them.

Completely at her mercy. She could do anything she wanted to it, and it couldn't do anything back. It was completely defenseless. Weak. Frail. Alone.

It was easy for her to send her left claw into the bark of the coniferous tree. But, to her disappointment, the tree made a pitiful thunk, and did little else. Atiae growled lightly, her expression moderately irritated. She hadn't put much effort into it, but even then, she expected more. She swung again, and, this time, the claws left a decent, if still small, gouge in the side of the wood

Not good enough. She was the Princess of Altomare. There shouldn't be a tree in existence that could stand before her. If the wind could uproot a tree, so should she be able to do so. Atiae let out a snarl that surprised even herself as she swung the claw back into the tree, this one considerably stronger. The tree didn't cut, as she expected, but, instead, splintered where she struck, the force proving too much for it. It fell over to the left pitifully, colliding with another of it's brethren on it's way down, but that didn't give the Latias any pause, and she promptly swung her left claw into the fallen tree.

This one got stuck into the broken, shattered tree, but Atiae didn't care, instead opting to drop the Soul Dew, and instead continue the assault with her free claw. She swung viciously, furiously with her right claw, not paying any heed to the energy that was surrounding it at this point. each strike shook the branches of the fallen tree, leaving vicious, deep swathes in the surface of the already damaged wood. But it wasn't enough. Yanking her claw free, she let loose a breath of dragonfire, angrily, furiously putting more and more energy into the flames until she found herself out of breath.

She took a moment to regain her center, looking down at the pile of glowing ashes, before finding herself somehow angrier. The tree wouldn't let her achieve her cartesis, and instead chose to gave up. She let out a roar, uncaring of the indignity of the action, and swung a claw off to the side in a vicious vertical psycho cut, not truly caring what it hit. The energy continued for a dozen meters before colliding with another tree. The tree reacted by splitting neatly in two, falling in separate directions, but before the tree could properly fall, Atiae sent several more slashes it's way, the psycho-cuts hitting the tree indiscriminately, sending pieces of the timber flying haphazardly.

But, it wasn't enough. Atiae felt her anger, hate, and rage continue to build. She had opened the floodgates, and now, there was no stopping it.

Atiae took a moment to try and center herself, but she found that, regardless of what she tried, she couldn't. All she knew right now was that the nearby forest could burn in hell.

It took her a moment to notice the energy she had been subconsciously building, but by then, it was far too late to stop it.

And so, she simply put up the strongest shields she had, and let it go.

The resulting nova was both blinding and deafening, but, after it was over, she found herself in the middle of a cloud of ash and smoke. Unlike Ash's, however, which had been a simple, if extremely forceful push, hers had incinerated the entire area. It took her a moment to see through the smoke, but once she did, she grimaced.

It wasn't as widespread or as magnificent in scale as Ash's flare, but, it was, in a way, considerably more destructive. She was surrounded by little more than the ashes of what had once been a section of forest, with at least a several meters surrounding her being completely incinerated.

Hell, the very earth below her was glowing.

But, she still didn't feel any better. Destruction didn't provide a balm for her. If anything, it just made her feel even more empty.

Atiae let out a sigh, before glancing the Soul Dew, unharmed in a pile of cinders.

"This is all your fault."

The gem gave little more then a small flicker of light in response, making the Latias' frown. She let out a light growl at the lack of response, before feeling her anger inexplicably flare up. "Millions dead, thousands homeless, all because of you!"

She didn't get any sort of response, and felt her fury continue to sky-rocket. "So much lost, and for what!? Some useless, powerless glowing rock!"

Another flicker.

"Answer me!"

Atiae lifted up the Soul Dew into the air, bringing it closer to her. She had half a mind to shake it angrily, but opted for instead continuing her rant.

"It's all your fault! Everything! When... when you died, everything broke! I was left alone, with..."

Atiae found that her words wouldn't come, and she instead sat there for several moments in complete silence, listening to the smoldering and cracking of the burnt trees that surrounded her as she stared furiously into the gem she held before her.

But, after several minutes, she found her voice again. "Everything's gone. My home... Bianca. The garden."

Not even waiting for a response, she threw the stone into the ground before her. "I hate you."

The gem only offered a flicker in consolation.

* * *

"Uh... Delia?"

Delia felt her eye twitch slightly as the scientist once again tried to question her on their new... escorts. She should've seen this coming sooner; The man was a poke-fanatic.

"May I...?"

"No." She did not want to get into that mess again.

"But Delia-"

"No. Just... trust me. They don't like being touched."

The Professor seemed extremely disappointed at that, and continued to look disappointed as he eyed the Regice and Registeel that flanked them.

"But-"

"Professor, we have more important things to worry about right now. Just get ready for what lies ahead."

At that, the Professor seemed to clam up. Delia was completely right, after all; they didn't make this trip for a fun, nor for research. They were on this trip because of Ash. Besides, the Regi-series was already commonly documented. There was much more interesting specimens that lie ahead.

"Oh, you're completely right. I apologize. So... how much longer?"

Delia let loose another sigh, looking back to Professor Oak, who walked behind her, alongside her dragonite, Irama, who was looking rather bored. "Not far. A few minutes, at most."

That seemed to lift the older man's spirits. As such, he chose to remain quiet for those several minutes, as they slowly made their way down the root-esque formations and pathways, walking closer and closer to the center of the tree. But, after several moments of walking through a dim, dark tunnel, they found themselves exit into a large grove, filled to the brim with plantlife, and containing, in the very middle, a large spring.

The view was picturesque, but Delia couldn't be bothered, and instead took this moment to look around, before finding that they were technically alone. She felt her anger flare a bit, before looking over to the registeel.

"Where is she?"

The large steel type offered only a series of clicks, groans and squeaks, putting up it's hands in deference, and Delia felt her eye twitch. She never could understand any of the regi-series, and she didn't even know why she had bothered. Might as well take the direct route.

"Mew! You get out here, right now!"

Registeel took a step backwards, seemingly surprised by the outburst, before looking over to the Regice for support, letting out another unintelligible series of noises. It's companion only gave a confused shrug.

Oak, on the other hand, had much more experience in dealing with an angry Delia, and instead, moved to intervene. "Uh, Delia, are you sure that's the best idea?"

Delia paid no heed to the professor, however, and instead, shouted some more. She had travelled on foot for 4 days, all while Ash was lost and scared, who knows where. She had no time to play it nice. "I know you're here! Get out here, this instant!"

The professor groaned with a mix of irritation and embarrassment, before moving toward Delia. "Delia, you're making-"

_"Ugh... I was nappin'! Who dares- wait, Delia?"_

There was a small flash, and, suddenly, Mew was floating in front of the human pair upside down, an amused, almost excited smile on her face. _"Dear, you really should've called ahead! Our next visit wasn't supposed to be for a couple more weeks, at the very least."_

Oak, for the most part, stared blankly in both shock and awe, his concern for Delia's shouting already gone. He knew, consciously, that they were making this trip for the sole purpose of talking with Mew, but still, there was a difference between knowing, and seeing one of the rarest pokemon in existence with your own eyes. "Oh, I, uh, er-"

His attempts at speaking were stopped, however, by Mew floating up closely, and patting his head in a consoling sort of way. _"Sammy, it's alright. Use your words. I know how you love to use them."_

This proved to be too much for the Professor, and, after a moment of trying to properly respond, he fell back on his old introduction. "I, Uh... Welcome to the world of pokemon. I'm professor Oak, and-"

Delia groaned at her compatriot's mental short, and instead, looked at the legendary directly, who was giving Oak an amused, if gentle smile. Time was of the essence, and they didn't have time to dilly-dally, let alone for Mew to goof off. "Mew, you know exactly why I'm here!"

The legendary Pokemon turned away from the rambling Oak at that, slowly turning and looking at Delia with a slightly cross expression. _"If I did, I wouldn't have been napping, now would I? It's not like I'm Omniscient all the time, after all. So... Why don't you tell your dear mother why you made the trip over to visit me without as much as a letter or phone call? I would've cleaned up the place. Got some snacks. Finally figured out how to bake a cake.__"_

The woman only offered a frozen glare, ignoring the shocked silence that befell Oak. Mew always had been all over the place when it came to attentiveness, but Delia figured that she would at least pay attention to the promise she had made Delia, all those years ago. "Ash disappeared. He's a dragon again, and you promised you'd keep Ash a human! Keep him safe!"

There was silence for a moment, before Mew blinked, this time in confusion as she slowly started to float upside-down. _"Hmm. As far as I know, he still is. Or, as safe as Ash could be, anyway." _The Legendary's tone was light, as if vaguely amused.

_"Why? Did something happen?"_

Before either of the humans could answer, Mew's eyes began to glow for a second, before immediately stopping. _"Huh, something did. But what?"_

Another flash of light, and her eyes lit up again._ "... That's not good. But unfortunately irrelevant to the topic at hand. So, **where** is he?" _The legendary continued to sit in silence for a moment, before grinning. _"Well, he's not dead this time. That's a nice change of pace. But where? It's not like he just- Oh."_

Mew paused another moment, before sighing._ "I see how it is. Alright! I know what to do!"_

The pokemon then immediately sat on the ground, and sighed, laying down much like a cat._ "I say we give up."_

That comment didn't sit well with Delia. "What!?"

Mew shrugged again, this time rolling over, and rubbing her tail against a nearby rock, almost making a point to not look Delia in the eye. _"Things are happening that are far beyond one human or dragon, Delia. Reality is shifting, futures colliding, er, more than they usually do, anyway, and the world is at the crossroads of destiny. Interfering might make things worse. It'd be best to leave it alone."_

"I have to save him. He's my son."

The legendary sighed, and looked over to the woman. Delia always had a will of steel. The woman wouldn't take no for an answer, and never could. She would hunt for Ash, regardless of whether Mew joined her, or not.

"Please."

There was a moment of quiet after that, and the pair of humans waited for Mew to reply.

Mew's hands were tied. She would have to join her. Delia wasn't a precision instrument; She would burst through walls and burn cities if she had to. If left to her own devices, she could very well make things much, much worse than they could be, if left on their own.

She would need to join her, and guide her, and make sure that she didn't burn bridges they'd very well need later.

_"Very well. I cannot promise I can fix this. There are forces at work far greater than I. And, as far as avatars go, I am extremely limited. But, if you are determined, I will do what I can, and defy fate, if I must."_

At that, the cat-like pokemon rose up from the ground, and stretched, all while giving Delia and Oak a stern look._ "__Besides, I think I let this sibling squabble go on far enough. You two need to get over this whole killing each other thing."_

The two humans gave Mew a confused, if grateful look, and Mew smiled.

"I_cy, watch the tree. Don't let it go all killer blob on people again. We're running out of Aura guardians."_

The Regice made a cheerful clicking noise, and the nearby registeel groaned.

_"Oh, I don't wanna hear it. Last time I left you in charge, you let a pidgeot make a nest in my absolute favorite sitting spot. Icy is in charge this time."_

The pokemon made another groan, but this time, Mew ignored it, instead turning towards the pair of humans, who both looked relieved. "_Alright, so... If I know Ash, he's probably in Johto."_

Delia blinked in confusion at that. "Er, why would he be there?"

_"Because, That's where everything's falling apart right now."_

There was a small moment of quiet, before, to Mew's surprise, Oak spoke up, his expression serious.

"What happened?"

* * *

**A/N So... Sorry for taking so long. I originally wanted this, along with the following chapter to be posted at the same time, but frankly, I could barely get this chapter to stop fighting me long enough to make it "passable", let alone get the next one to similar quality. So, I figured I'd finish what I got here, before vigorously attacking the next chapter. **

**But, hey, better late than never, right?**

**Either way, I hoped it was at least readable. But, if it wasn't, tell me why, in however way you wish. I'll try and make the next chapter extra nice, but, with how it's been fighting me, I make no promises. **


End file.
